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How Infant Swimming Resource Can Benefit Your Child

It is only May and already we have had 16 near drownings involving children and three deaths.

With the amount of pools in Las Vegas, drowning prevention is a major issue.

So what if you could teach your non-verbal infant to save himself from drowning?

Action News anchor Steve Wolford has the details behind a new program in Las Vegas that claims to do just that.

A child who cannot even talk falls into a pool and is then able to rescue himself.

"It is something you have to see for yourself to believe," said Jill Arnold.

So where can babies learn those skills?

"Infant swim resource or ISR's mission is that not one more child drowns in the water," said Gail Robinson.

"I want to see drowning as rare as polio in the United States," said Harvey.

It is a technique called infant swim resource and it is being taught in Las Vegas.

"I have Carson who is five and when he started he was very nervous around the water," said Jill Arnold.

Several local parents have committed to the program and so far are impressed with the results.

"He did not like it the first week and now he loves it. He asks to go swimming every day," said Jill.

"In the beginning you are kind of like, how is this going to work? But as you come every day you see the process and you see like they are getting it," said Kori Clausen.

Kids as young as six months old are taught how to float.

"We work backwards, so if their final result is going to be to float. We start them in their float so they know what that feels like," said Frankie.

Those who are already walking are taught a swim-float-swim sequence so they can pull themselves out of the water.

"Toddlers and children are sensory motor learners and so we just reward them with our touch and we show them how to do it with our touch," said Gail.

"I thought she was going be screaming and what have you. She was crying, but just kind of mellow," said Kirk.

"Psychologically, this is as far away from a traumatic type of situation as you could imagine. The infant is never thrown in the water, they are never asked to perform anything they have not already been shown how to do," said Harvey.

ISR creator Dr. Harvey Barnett says crying is a natural reaction for infants.

"I am not one of those mothers who is like, oh my babies are going to cry, I am upset! I knew she was going to cry, I knew she was going to be unhappy, but it is 10 minutes," said Kori.

"I just kept telling myself, the end result will be worth it," said Jill.

ISR is a significant time commitment as earning the skill requires 5 sessions a week, 10 minutes each time, for 5 weeks.

But these parents say it is a small price to pay for the life of their child.

"Accidents happen and if they were to fall in it is comforting to know that they can save themselves," said Jill.

Stay tuned to Action News as we monitor developing news around the Valley.