«Swimming is not that easy!»
Mrs Winter, why do so many children drown in Switzerland?
The problem with small children is that parents often think that it is enough if the little ones have water wings on. They are lulled into a sense of security and no longer look closely enough. But the air can escape from the water wings and children can fall over.
Many more boys drown than girls.
Small children then simply lie face down in the water. They can no longer get up and can drown in the shallow children's pool within 20 seconds.
And what is the problem with older children?
That they misjudge themselves. Teenagers, in particular, are more likely to test their courage, make daring jumps and swim under the influence of alcohol. Many more boys drown than girls. Parents also very often overestimate their children's swimming abilities. They think that their child can swim if they can manage a few breaststroke strokes in one go. But learning to swim is so much more.
Namely?
Firstly, children should dive. They need to open their eyes under water and learn to regain their bearings. They should also be able to float in the water - utilise the natural buoyancy of the water. This allows them to take a break when they get tired. An energy-saving swimming style in which the children glide a lot is also important.
That doesn't sound too difficult.
Make no mistake! It's not just children who tend to overestimate their swimming abilities, but also their parents. However, when I ask parents to join in with the exercises in my courses, things look very different. A father recently sank while trying to float on his back. He had underestimated how many muscles it takes to stay flat on the water.
When can parents leave their children alone in the pool with confidence?
Here I recommend the BFU water safety check. Children have to be able to do quite a lot: a somersault under water, tread water for 1 minute in deep water without sinking and then swim another 50 metres. Many adults are also overwhelmed by this. Many children are ready to take the test at the age of 8 to 10.
Why isn't the test compulsory at school?
This works in some cantons. But when it comes to swimming lessons, there is a lack of nationwide provision. Although Curriculum 21 aims to make swimming lessons available to all children in primary school, it is very difficult for some schools to implement. Especially for those where there is no indoor swimming pool far and wide.
I know schools where a one-week swimming course can only be offered once a year. Then there are schools that only have one hour in their timetable - including changing and blow-drying. This makes efficient swimming lessons very difficult. Also, there are not always specialists on hand, but sometimes the class teachers simply take over the swimming lessons.
How good are the children's swimming skills when they start school?
Depending on where they live, their level of education and the religious beliefs of their parents, the children are either already quite good swimmers or the element of water is still foreign to them and they may even be afraid of it. My courses are mainly attended by children from families for whom learning to swim is very important and who can afford a swimming course.
Such a course is of course also a financial burden...
That's true. But I have also had cases where the social welfare office has paid for the course if it was difficult for the family. The problem is more that parents see swimming as fun, as a nice hobby and not as what it is: essential for survival in a country where people swim as much as in Switzerland.
What do you do when children are afraid of water?
Above all, we give the children plenty of time and the opportunity to explore the element playfully and in their own way. I structure the exercises in such a way that the children enjoy the water and don't even realise that they are learning a lot in the process. It's exciting to observe that children often make the right movements intuitively if you let them and don't force them to do anything.
Like frogs?
Exactly not. The crawl is easier for children because they often start the leg stroke themselves and don't have to coordinate the movements in such a complex rhythm as they do in breaststroke. It also makes more ergonomic sense. This is why the crawl has been taught before the breaststroke for around 13 years.
There is currently a lot of talk in the media about secondary drowning.
If large quantities of water flow into the lungs during reflex inhalation under water and residual fluid remains despite coughing it up, this can lead to pneumonia with pulmonary oedema. And this in turn can be fatal within a few hours. The following symptoms may indicate residual water in the lungs:
- andauerndes Husten seit dem Verschlucken
- das Kind wirkt etwas atemlos
- dem Kind ist vom verschluckten Wasser übel
- das Kind verhält sich seltsam: es ist müde oder besonders euphorisch (bei grösseren Kindern)
- die Lippen wirken bläulich
- Gänsehaut, zittern oder frösteln
- Druckgefühl oder Schmerz hinter dem Brustbein (Achtung: kleine Kinder können das meist noch nicht klar äussern)
- Zuckungen der Gesichtsmuskulatur
With these symptoms and after unconsciousness or resuscitation, the child should always be hospitalised for observation, even if he or she appears to be well. This also applies to adults. However, there is no danger if a small amount of water is swallowed during bathing. This water can be easily coughed up by healthy children.
