Survival Swimming Lessons from ISR return to the Algarve

Vilamoura hosts the ISR Course again to teach life-saving skills to babies and young children in case of unsupervised falls into water.

Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death in children in Portugal, with the summer months seeing the highest incidence. According to a July 2024 Report from the Association for the Promotion of Child Safety (APSI), the majority of children who drowned in swimming pools or tanks/wells in Portugal between 2005 and 2023 were in the 0 to 4-year age group. The same report indicates that for every child who died from drowning between 2002 and 2022, approximately two were hospitalised.

Drowning is often silent and quick. Babies and young children struggling underwater usually cannot call or shout for help and can lose consciousness after just 2 minutes of submersion. Furthermore, permanent brain damage can begin to occur after 3 to 5 minutes without oxygen.

While multiple safety measures exist to prevent drowning, such as installing fences and alarms around pools and active adult supervision, accidents can still happen due to children’s natural curiosity and surprising ability to overcome obstacles.

In 1996, Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) revolutionised water safety by introducing the first survival swimming techniques for babies and young children, becoming the global leader in this field.

ISR course lessons are individual, instructor-to-child, and adapted to each child’s development. After 30 daily lessons, from Monday to Friday, babies aged 6 to 12 months can hold their breath underwater, roll onto their backs to float and breathe, and wait for an adult to help. Children aged 1 to 6 years learn how to move towards the edge of the pool by swimming with their heads down, turning onto their backs to float, rest, and breathe, and then turning back to continue swimming. To simulate real-life situations, children wear everyday clothes and shoes in the last lessons so that they can cope with the weight of wet clothes if they fall into the pool.

The second ISR Course in the Algarve will take place at the Heated Indoor Pool of Browns Sports Resort in Vilamoura, starting on 19th May 2025, subject to a minimum of 10 registrations by 13th May. This earlier registration deadline is due to the instructor, Beth Lasoff, travelling from New York specifically to teach this course.

Daily lessons, lasting a maximum of 10 minutes each, may be held in the morning between 8 AM and 9:20 AM, or in the afternoon between 3:30 PM and 6:30 PM. You can choose your preferred time slot on the pre-registration form: https://koalendar.com/e/maio-beth-lasoff

Take advantage of a 10% discount when you sign up your child by 10th May!