Olympic Swimmer Amanda Beard Promotes National Water Safety Initiative

Washington DC, July 2011— As the summer season swelters on and temperatures rise from coast to coast, kids are cooling off in home and public pools across America.

However needless deaths due to drowning are on the rise in the United States - which has prompted Olympic swimmer Amanda Beard, and Safe Kids USA, with support from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), to initiate a national public education effort to raise awareness with parents and caregivers regarding water safety for children and to help prevent drowning and entrapment in pools and spas.

Safe Kids USA / CPSC Statistics at a Glance Drowning is the leading cause of death among children ages 1 to 4.

Since Memorial Day, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that there have been 48 child drownings and 75 near-drownings in pools and spas alone in 35 states and territories as reported by the media. In the summer months, between May and August, drowning deaths among children increase 89 percent over the rest of the year.

Home swimming pools are the most common site for a drowning to occur with a child less than 5 years of age. Nearly 750 children ages 14 and under died from 2000 -- 2007 in the U.S. due to an unintentional drowning. In 2009 there was an estimated 5,016 children injured due to a near drowning incident.

Although 90 percent of parents say they supervise their children while swimming, many acknowledge that they engage in other distracting activities at the same time -- talking, eating, reading or taking care of another child. In fact, a parent or caregiver claimed to be supervising the child in nearly 9 out of 10 drowning-related deaths. While there is no substitute for active supervision, learning how to swim is an important skill for both parents and children to learn. In fact, new studies indicate that teaching children to swim between the ages of 6 and 12 months old is a great way to build their confidence in the water while at the same time teaching them water safety skills.

Amanda Beard - Importance of Teaching Kids to Swim

Seven-time Olympic medalist Amanda Beard, who is hoping to compete in the 100- and 200-meter breast stroke events in the 2012 Olympics, is a firm believer in teaching children to swim at a young age. Beard attended "Mommy and Me" swim classes with her mother when she was 6 months old. She grew to enjoy the water and swimming so much that by the time she was 10 years old, she had already made up her mind that she wanted to be an Olympic swimmer.

Beard started acquainting their now 22-month-old son, Blaise, with the water in their backyard pool when he was 4 months old. He began taking swimming lessons at 6 months, and today he enjoys swimming 3 -- 4 times a week.