Drowning
Giving the Gift of Swim to All Children
Drowning is preventable. There are 14,500 children in North Carolina that are in foster care and having to stay in the foster care 15% longer since 2011. Drowning is the #1 cause of unintentional death in children 0-4 yrs and the #2 cause of unintentional death in children 5-14 yrs. Drowning is the all time 5th leading cause of death for all ages. Drowning disproportionately affects males and individuals of minorities at a higher rate. Per the Centers for Disease Control, "the disparity is widest among children 5-18 yrs old. The disparity is most pronounced in swimming pools; African American children 5-19 yrs drown in swimming pools at rates 5.5 times higher than those to whites. This disparity is greater among those 11-12 yrs where African Americans drown in swimming pools at rates 10 times those of whites."
By giving children the opportunity to learn how to swim, children advance their sensory tools for cognition, physical and mental health development. The children build physical strength, confidence in their ability to problem solve and knowledge of water safety. Water is a calming stimulate for individuals with sensory needs. Many children in the foster care system have survived early neglect and/or abuse, and as a result have sensory processing issues. Aqua-therapy can help to heal and advance a child's sensory processing abilities, improve cognition, improve gross and fine motor skills empowering them with the survival life skill of swimming. Giving children the survival life skill of swimming will safeguard their life. Carolina Swims Foundation combats the rates of drowning by giving the gift of swim to underserved children and children in foster care. We are passionate about saving future lives and helping children through the medium of swimming to develop mastery in their own lives.
Giving the Gift of Swim
We are passionate about helping children. Every child deserve the gift of swimming & water safety, it is a survival life skill. Swim lessons are expensive. Carolina Swims Foundation wants to Give the Gift of Swim & Water Safety to children.