frequently asked questions

Every ISR Instructor worldwide completes an 8-week intensive academic and in-water training and certification program, as well as CPR and First Aid Certified before they are certified to offer ISR’s Self-Rescue program. Once certified, ISR Instructors are recognized as highly skilled, precise aquatic behavior specialists who understand the unique cognitive, intellectual and physical development dynamics of young children. Understanding the behaviors of children in the water allows each Instructor to respond with ISR’s proprietary technique. 

WHAT IS ISR AND HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER SWIMMING PROGRAMS? 

 ISR is the product over 50 years of ongoing development in the area of survival swimming lessons for infants and children. ISR's primary focus is to teach your child to become a productive swimmer and floater in any depth of water. The goal of ISR is that your child becomes an aquatic problem solver.  ISR will greatly increase your child's chance of surviving an aquatic accident, even when fully clothed! Developed in 1966 by a behavioral psychologist Dr. Harvey Barnett, ISR Instructors have taught over 200,000 students nationwide and abroad.

ISR educates parents on the importance of supervision and barriers around water, ISR lessons are to be seen as one last layer of protection around your child.  Many traditional swim programs teach young children who enroll in "Survival Swim Lessons" to swim to the edge.   While this is a useful skill, ISR's method of teaching young children the key survival skill of rollback to float is what sets us apart.  This key Self-Rescue skill can help young children find their air in an event where they are unable to grab onto something or reach an edge.  Generally, children under five years of age have to compensate for their heads being disproportionately larger than their bodies.  This is why children in this age range are unable to maintain a proper horizontal swimming posture when trying to 'pop their heads up' for air and why ISR's priority is the Self-Rescue element of rolling back to float, breath and rest before flipping back over to continue to swim.   Many play based or Mommy and Me swim instruction may give children a false sense of security in and around water without teaching them competence before confidence in the water.  

YES!  ISR  Instructors have given over 7 million safe and effective lessons. The safety of each child is the highest priority of each ISR Instructor. Prior to participation each child is registered via an online registration process and each child’s health and developmental history is evaluated by our professionals to ensure that he or she can safely participate in lessons . Each lesson is private so the Instructor’s attention is focused completely on your child. The ongoing safety of each child is monitored throughout lessons by requiring each parent to keep a  daily diary of their child  in order to monitor their child’s Bowel, Urine, Diet, and Sleep (BUDS).  This is reviewed prior to each lesson. If the Instructor feels any of these key health measurements are not as they should be, the child's lesson will not take place or in some cases the length and pace of a lesson is adjusted .  Many pediatricians who are educated about this program and its high safety standards are willing to refer their patients to this program.  

WHAT ABOUT FLOTATION DEVICES AND LIFE-JACKETS? 

 Flotation devices give children a false sense of security and hold them in postures that are not compatible with swimming skills. If a child learns that he can jump in the water and go into a vertical posture and he will be able to breathe, he is getting the wrong idea about that environment. Flotation devices are for children who cannot swim. Children, who cannot swim, should not be allowed to learn that it is safe to play in the water while relying on a crutch. Life jackets must be worn in a boat or around the water when there is the potential for an accidental submersion; they are not a substitute for the ability to swim or for adult supervision. 

Crying is a form of communication for many children as they grow. They cry when they are hungry, bored, tired, etc. When introduced to a new person and a new experience, many children cry. This is not unusual for a child in ISR lessons. Your child will be looking to you to develop her attitude toward swimming and lessons. A child whose parent projects a positive attitude and praises their child's efforts will see their child's crying diminish or even be eliminated as their skill level progresses. Crying will not bother the Instructor or interfere with your child learning. 

HOW DO CHILDREN KNOW TO HOLD THEIR BREATH? 

Breath control is always a priority and constantly monitored throughout lessons.  We shape breath holding skills rather than 'blowing bubbles' or the habit or blowing out their air before going under water.  This is counter intuitive to the bodies automatic response to inhale upon exhaling or 'blowing bubbles' and not what we use or encourage to shape proper breath control. Breath holding skills are taught in the first lesson. We shape breath control using highly effective positive reinforcement techniques.    

There is an important difference between being fearful and being apprehensive because you are not yet skilled in a dangerous environment. ISR is not like traditional swim lessons; it is a drowning prevention program that teaches survival swimming. Your child may not happily skip to his or her ISR lesson each day at first, but that's okay. Sometimes as a parent, you make sure your child does things for his or her safety, like wearing a seat belt, because you know they are important. The same can be said for ISR.

FUN can be defined as when SKILL meets CHALLENGE. Once competent in their skills, many children cannot be dragged away from the pool. They are having entirely too much FUN.

When you learn about ISR, you know this is the most important level of protection you can give your child to prevent drowning. If fences, supervision, and alarms fail, your child's skill is an additional measure of protection. 

HOW CAN A CHILD LEARN ANYTHING IN 10 MINUTES? 

 Although 10 minutes may seem like a very short lesson, remember that each lesson is private and your child is getting the undivided attention of the Instructor.  This lesson though short is very intense.  Most group lesson are only 30-45 minutes in length with as many as 6 children in each class.  This equals only about 5-7 minutes of actual instruction time for each child. Before deciding that your child can't possibly learn in such a short lesson, come and observe one or more ISR lessons. 

No, no person or child can ever be drown-proof. Be leary of any program that advertises they can. Supervision is still the most important factor in preventing drowning. ISR believes pool fences, supervision, and pool alarms are important parts of a necessary multi-layered approach to drowning prevention. However, traditional lines of defense break down, and the over 4,000 drowning deaths per year bear a grim testament to the fact that traditional approaches are missing a key component: the child. ISR’s core conviction is that the child is the most important part of a drowning prevention strategy and our over 300,000 ISR graduates and 800 documented survival stories are proof that children can save themselves. Children are curious, capable, and have an uncanny ability to overcome obstacles like pool fences; at ISR we take that ability and teach them skills to potentially save themselves if they find themselves in the water alone.

 HAVE ANY CHILDREN EVER USED THESE SKILLS IN A REAL EMERGENCY?

Yes, to date more than 790 of our students have used the skills that they learned through ISR to save themselves from drowning. 

Your child is unique, precious and irreplaceable.  No value can ever be placed on him or her.  Drowning is a leading cause of death for children 1-4 years of age and preventing it is vital to your child's health and well-being.  A child who cannot swim is at  greater risk for drowning.  Parents spend considerable amounts on other lessons and sports that will never teach a child any lifesaving skills.  By comparison, knowing how to swim can protect your child from death or serious permanent injury.  It will also provide a lifetime of enjoyment for your child.  Financial Assistance is available to those who qualify through organizations such as Live Like Jake Scholarship Funds, feel free to email me at t.wilson@infantswim.com for more info.