St. Louis, MO
Swim Lessons? – Yes. But Don’t Forget the Other Layers of Protection, Including Knowing CPR
Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children 1 – 4 and second for children 5 – 9. But drowning is the most preventable of accidental injury fatalities. Preventing drowning requires all the layers of protection: swim lessons that emphasize water safety and survival, preventing access to pools with proper fencing, regulation flotation equipment and, most important, undistracted adult supervision. But because sometimes one or more of those four layers of protection fails and because drowning is silent and very fast, there is a fifth layer that is also important – knowing CPR. Now might be a good time to sign up for a class.
We fervently hope that no one faces a non-fatal drowning incident. Knowing CPR, however, is good insurance to keep a frightening incident for you or someone you know from turning into a tragedy.
Once someone starts to drown the outcome is often fatal and, unlike other Injuries, survival is determined almost exclusively at the scene and depends on two highly variable factors: how quickly the person is removed from the water and how swiftly proper resuscitation is performed.
Learn CPR (including CPR for children) and have an emergency plan. Keep a waterproof information sheet on CPR nearby.
CPR with respirations is still recommended for drownings.
(Current recommendations for CPR are for chest compressions only with no mouth-to-mouth EXCEPT in the case of drowning victims and prepubescent children.) You can even start mouth-to-mouth in the water and add chest compressions when you have reached dry land
Do not focus on water in the lungs and getting water out. Abdominal and chest thrust to get water out have not been shown to increase survival.
According to the American Red Cross, CPR is important because “keeping the blood flow active – even partially – extends the opportunity for a successful resuscitation once trained medical staff arrive on site.”
The Red Cross also notes that “Even children can perform successful CPR”. “A recent study tested sixth graders and their capacity to use Hands-Only CPR to save lives. The study found that the majority of children could perform CPR in the correct location and at the appropriate compression rate, making this a viable group to train to help save lives.
In fact, the American Heart Association is dedicated to training the next generation of lifesavers through its CPR in Schools program. We led the charge to make CPR training a high school graduation requirement in 34 states – and counting!”
There are many classes available in the St. Louis area for learning CPR (or refreshing your knowledge). The Red Cross, American Heart Association and hospitals provide classes. In addition, there are private instructors who can come to teach CPR to you and your family and/or neighbors and caregivers or summer babysitters. A Google search for “CPR classes St. Louis”, brings up any number of possibilities. Make sure to learn child and infant CPR as well as adult CPR and talk to your instructor about CPR after water submersion.
Learning to roll over and float and learning to swim are critical ways to prevent drowning (as are adult supervision, proper fencing and regulation life vests) To keep your children safe, sign up for (and then continue) British Swim School classes. But also learn CPR.
British Swim School St. Louis offers premium water survival and swimming lessons for infants, toddlers, children and adults, starting at just 3 months old. We proudly serve the St. Louis communities of Afton, Ballwin, Brentwood, Chesterfield, Clayton, Concord, Crestwood, Creve Coeur, Dardenne Prairie, Eureka, Fenton, High Ridge, Howell Island, Kirkwood, Ladue, Lake St. Louis, Manchester, Maplewood, Maryland Heights, New Town, Olivette, Overland, Richmond Heights, St. Charles, Orchard Farm, St. Paul, St. Peters, Sunset Hills, Town and Country, Valley Park, Webster Groves, Weldon Springs, and Wildwood. Call 314-312-1878 to enroll or find a class online.
