A metro area swim instructor is warning the parents of young children to ensure they can swim before taking them to the pool or beach this summer.
Channel 2’s Lori Wilson spoke with Gina Torjak, a swim instructor, who said that floatation devices should not be considered a substitute for knowing how to swim.
Torjak is the swim instructor to Luca, Ashley Riad’s son. Riad said Luca is a good swimmer, which she’s grateful for.
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Back in January, months after the 2-year-old had Luca had gone swimming, disaster almost struck.
Luca was “walking around the perimeter of the pool,” when he fell in. Riad said his muscle memory kicked in.
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“I was right there, I was ready to jump in, but I gave him about three seconds,” Torjak told Channel 2 Action News. “As soon as he fell in, he flipped over and floated.”
Torjak said muscle memory is why using floatation devices can be danger, when used as swim aids.
“It puts them in a vertical position, the drowning posture, and children learn by doing,” Torjak said. “It trains their body to be in the vertical drowning position.”
Torjak told Wilson she’s taught about 18,000 babies to swim in her 18 years in the pool.
“My one year old is not walking yet but she is able to float in the pool thanks to Miss Gina,” one parent said.
While parents rely on floaties and swim jackets, Torjak said it gives parents a false sense of security.
Instead, Torjak said to use one of several layers of safety to protect your kids, including:
- Put up barriers or fences when you don’t want your child in the water
- Only use floatation devices properly in open bodies of water
- Make sure you can reach out and touch your child
- Put them in swim lessons
“Accidents happen when everyone things everybody else is watching the child,” Torjak said.
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