My son went through the ISR program. I felt that it was important because we live on the lake. I never let him get out of my sight. However, I recently had a newborn, I new the chances of him getting out of my sight had increased. So, we put both children through the ISR program. I believe there is NO substitute for supervision, but the skills they learned in this program gives them a chance to survive if something happens. As a matter of fact, last year at our neighbors pool, my oldest son (age 2 at the time) was playing on the steps of the pool. He was about 10 feet away from me. He fell off the steps and was resting and floating on his back before I could even get to him. Then, he actually flipped over and swam towards the steps. He was completely calm and confident. I LOVE this program.

Adam did not have ISR lessons; he had lessons at the YMCA and his family says they work with him on floating and holding his breathe under water at home. We should have specified that in the story.

ISR swim lessons give your child the skills to survive if they fall in water. Without these skills, a child has no chance to survive. The program has never had a child drown after completing the lessons. You should not ever take your eyes off your child, but if it happens, have you given your child the chance to survive? Clearly Adam was not a participant in this program and the news story should have specified that he was not an ISR graduate.

The problem is that some parents often delude themselves that this will save a child's life. Just like they think that water wings or other inflatable objects are going to keep the child afloat while they're off chatting with their friends or in the house doing other things. The only guaranteed way to make sure a child does not drown is to keep an eye on him/her at all times. Swim lessons are not designed to save someone from drowning, they're designed to help people be safer in and around the water.

Did the child (Adam) have ISR swimming lessons or just swimming lessons? It was never stated what type of swimming lessons he had. There is a difference between ISR lessons and regular swim lessons. I would like some clarification.