Final test in clothes once child is fully competent in survival
At KASS we have and always will focus on learned breath control as a priority in all lessons.
Before any child moves through the path of lessons, they are taught to take a breath and hold their breath before being submerged. This is done through physical, non-verbal prompts to assist in the process.
Everything we do in the water as humans is a learned behaviour. This is achieved by positively reinforcing the correct behaviours. Instinctively when someone is in the water they will try and get air however most children under the age of 3 are not yet physically capable of independently lifting their head out of the water to take a breath. The reason we teach them to roll, float and breathe.
Once the child has learnt this behaviour, the physical stimuli can be removed as the environment, being the water, now provides the tactile sensory for the child. For example, as the child feels the water rising past their stomach, chest, neck, chin, towards their head prompts the child to hold their breath before a submersion. The same with releasing the breath. Once the child feels their face break through the surface of the water, they release their breath.
This practice keeps air inside the lunge, which in turn, increases buoyancy. If a baby or young child has lungs full of air, they will stay close to the surface easier, giving them time in an aquatic emergency.
