The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) used to recommend that children begin swim lessons at the age of 4 – the age at which they’re considered to be developmentally ready to learn to swim. But now more children are starting lessons as young as 1 to 2 years old, and that’s OK says the AAP.

“While the AAP still recommends that all children who are 4 years old and older begin to take swimming lessons, pediatricians are no longer against swimming lessons for younger toddlers and preschoolers between the ages of 1 to 4 years old,” Susan Helms, director of Injury Prevention and Safe Kids Mid-South, said.

Safe Kids reminds parents swim lessons don’t make kids “drown proof.” Parents should still keep a constant watch over little ones when they’re in and around water. Swim lessons do not necessarily reduce the child’s risk of drowning.

Le Bonheur and Safe Kids helped launch Make a Splash Mid-South, a community-wide, volunteer initiative created to give more children the opportunity to learn to swim. Make a Splash has partnered with area aquatic centers to offer free and low cost swim lessons to at-risk children ages 6 to 12 years old.

For information about water safety, check out our post that explains what parents can and should do to keep their kids safe near water.

Cases of near drownings have been reported in the Mid-South recently, and on Monday, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a study that found in the United States, one child dies every five days in a portable pool during the summer months.

Safe Kids Mid-South, led by Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, reminds parents to keep their kids safe while in or around water. Earlier in the summer, we posted tips for water safety, and we thought that in light of recent events and the new study - it was time for a refresher. Get our water safety refresher.

What ways are you ensuring that your kids are safe around the water this summer?  Leave us a comment below.

You think that it could never happen to your family or friends, but each year nearly 40 children are treated at  Le Bonheur Children's Hospital for drowning or water submersion injuries.  These incidents are not only preventable, they are predictable. Susan A. Helms R.N., M.A.L.S. and Director of Injury Prevention and Safe Kids at Le Bonheur Children's tookthe time to share her expertise. This is what she had to say.

There are some startling facts from Safe Kids Worldwide about swimming pools that parents and caregivers need to know:

• Home swimming pools are the most common site for a drowning to occur for a child between ages 1 and 4 years.
• According to a national study of drowning-related incidents involving children, a parent or caregiver claimed to be "near-by" in 9 out of 10 child drowning-related deaths.
• Between May and August, drowning deaths among children increase nearly 90 percent over the rest of the year.
• Approximately 75 percent of pool submersion deaths and 60 percent of pool submersion injuries occur at a home.
• 16 percent of drowning deaths in children under age 5 years of age are at a family or friend's pool while 17 percent occur at a public, community or neighhbor's pool.

Here are the five most imortant things that Safe Kids Mid-South, part of Safe Kids Worldwide and led locally by Le Bonheur Children's, strongly recommends that parents and caregivers do to help keep children safe around water this summer:

• Active Adult Supervision: Designate a "Water Watcher" to stay arm's length from children who are in or near water.
• Barriers: Install 4-sided fencing with self-closing and self-latching gates around pools and spas.
• Swimmimg Lessons
• CPR Training
• Life Jacket: Every passenger, every boat ride.

Help make it a Safe Kids Summer!