FA M I LY
Program Teaches Children Self-Rescue Techniques written by JENNIFER A. FITCH The headlines are jarring and heartbreaking: “No charges in toddler’s drowning.” “Police: Foul play not suspected in child’s apparent drowning.” “Country singer’s son’s drowning ruled accidental.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports more than 3,000 people fatally drown each year, with one in five of them being children ages 14 and younger. Sara Garcia of Frederick, Md., is an instructor with Infant Swimming Resource’s Self-Rescue, a program to help children survive what could otherwise be accidental drowning. When Garcia’s family was installing a backyard pool, she was concerned about the safety of her young son, even though he was participating in traditional swimming lessons. She found herself thinking that the lessons weren’t teaching him to respect the water. Garcia took her son, then almost 2 years old, to an Infant Self-Rescue instructor in Carroll County, Md. “It was so amazing, and I was hooked,” she said. “I told my husband, ‘Frederick needs a program like this.’” Sensory motor learning Garcia underwent the training after background checks and
interviews. She traveled to Herndon, Va., for what she described as grueling instruction in 2017. “There is so much you have to learn about human anatomy, breath control and how quickly drowning happens,” she said. Started 55 years ago, Infant Self-Rescue is structured for sensory motor learning. It targets ages 6 months to 6 years and teaches children skills they can use if they find themselves in the water alone. A typical session with Garcia is one-on-one instruction, Monday through Friday, for four to six weeks. Each day consists of just a 10-minute lesson to not tire the child. They focus on one skill for two or three days before progressing. Garcia aims to develop muscle memory in each child. While children depart the session with skills, they are encouraged to undergo a refresher lesson every six to eight months. Nora Krop, now 5, learns to float on her back, while instructed by Sara Garcia. Submitted photo
Practicing self-rescue Garcia acknowledged that the first few days of instruction can seem concerning to parents, particularly parents of the youngest children. The youngest children tend to cry, which is a response that is actually considered desirable. It means they are breathing and alive, plus they should be
