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I don't get it!
Why do we let commercial swimming pools advertise and promote baby and toddler swimming lessons but we don't require that those pools MUST maintain the recommended temperature for babies and toddler?
But since it is not require the first question any parent that is considering enrolling their child into such a class is: "what is the temperature of your pool?
If they say it's 28°C (82°F) like most lap pools are, then tell them they are nuts and look for a good swimming school.
Seriously I recently went to visit family up in Sydney and I wanted to take my granddaughter swimming. I was just blown away to discover that three of the main pools in Sydney taught all their classes in 28°C.
Honestly most parents are sensible when it comes to letting children swim in any form of swimming pool regardless of whether it is heated or not. It's fairly obvious when children are getting cold and you would get them out even if they don't want to.
Having said that I really think that some pools are just a little blase about the temperatures in the water particularly when it comes to babies.
Hypothermia occurs when body temperature drops below 35°C (95°F).
Ok so if your babies normal body temperature is 37°C (about 99°F)and if the pool water you are putting them in is around 27°C to 30°C then do you think that your child is going to get cold relatively quickly?
And just in case you missed the rhetorical nature of the question the answer is an emphatic "Yes"!
All authority bodies around the world recommend that baby swimming lessons are preformed in 32°C - 34°C (90°F - 93°F) and that children's lessons are no more than 30 min.
It has to be obvious to a blind man that even at the recommended temperature your child is still going to get cold.
So if you want your child to have swimming lessons what can you do?
Know the temperature of the pool, watch them and get them out as soon as they show signs of getting cold.
If a list of symptoms can be considered good this list of symptoms of Hypothermia is one of the most succinct.
Your swim teacher should know these symptoms and you should be comfortable that they will assist you in keeping an eye on your children.
But if your child is getting blue lips or they are starting to shiver, Get Them Out of the water and into something warmer. Forget about the teacher. This would never happen with a good teacher.
Lastly if Hypothermia is such an issue why aren't more cares getting their children to wear Childrens Wetsuit
. Can you live without them? Defiantly! But should you? That is a question only you can answer.
I know what my granddaughter will be wareing next time I take her swimming. My question is why aren't more parents putting their children into wetsuits for their swimming lessons?
Children and Hypothermia In Swimming Pools
Is your child at risks?
Are you a bit too blissful in your ignorance about your child them getting cold?I don't get it!
Why do we let commercial swimming pools advertise and promote baby and toddler swimming lessons but we don't require that those pools MUST maintain the recommended temperature for babies and toddler?
But since it is not require the first question any parent that is considering enrolling their child into such a class is: "what is the temperature of your pool?
If they say it's 28°C (82°F) like most lap pools are, then tell them they are nuts and look for a good swimming school.
Seriously I recently went to visit family up in Sydney and I wanted to take my granddaughter swimming. I was just blown away to discover that three of the main pools in Sydney taught all their classes in 28°C.
Honestly most parents are sensible when it comes to letting children swim in any form of swimming pool regardless of whether it is heated or not. It's fairly obvious when children are getting cold and you would get them out even if they don't want to.
Having said that I really think that some pools are just a little blase about the temperatures in the water particularly when it comes to babies.
Hypothermia occurs when body temperature drops below 35°C (95°F).
Ok so if your babies normal body temperature is 37°C (about 99°F)and if the pool water you are putting them in is around 27°C to 30°C then do you think that your child is going to get cold relatively quickly?
And just in case you missed the rhetorical nature of the question the answer is an emphatic "Yes"!
All authority bodies around the world recommend that baby swimming lessons are preformed in 32°C - 34°C (90°F - 93°F) and that children's lessons are no more than 30 min.
It has to be obvious to a blind man that even at the recommended temperature your child is still going to get cold.
So if you want your child to have swimming lessons what can you do?
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| Happy Babies In Water Are Warm Babies |
If a list of symptoms can be considered good this list of symptoms of Hypothermia is one of the most succinct.
Your swim teacher should know these symptoms and you should be comfortable that they will assist you in keeping an eye on your children.
But if your child is getting blue lips or they are starting to shiver, Get Them Out of the water and into something warmer. Forget about the teacher. This would never happen with a good teacher.
Lastly if Hypothermia is such an issue why aren't more cares getting their children to wear Childrens Wetsuit
. Can you live without them? Defiantly! But should you? That is a question only you can answer.
I know what my granddaughter will be wareing next time I take her swimming. My question is why aren't more parents putting their children into wetsuits for their swimming lessons?
Enjoy
Richard
Richard
Dear Richard, I am searching for scientific resources on the topic. When you say "All authority bodies around the world recommend that baby swimming lessons are preformed in 32°C - 34°C" would you happen to have supporting links for that?
ReplyDeleteYep, that has become a problem. Not that I think the recommendation has changed. there are a lot of pools, many of which are on the net, that uses this temperature as a selling point. I personally still think it is the best option. Though I have to say when I started swimming teaching 28 Deg C was the best you could hope for in a pool and all my babies seem to do ok. If a little blueish at the end of the lesson.
DeleteWhen I wrote this article I didn't feel the need to link to it as the recommendation was everywhere on the net. Over time, however, all those reports have been put behind logins and you can't get them without being a member or paying for it. It seems everybody wants you to join their site and even pay for this type of information. As a marketer, I understand the need to do this but it does seem to me that this is the sort of information that should be readily available from a reputable organization, freely.
Or maybe they just think that it is so standard now that documentation is unnecessary
As I recall the American Academy of Pediatrics used to have something and Royal Life Saving Australia also. My suggestion would be to write to them and see if they will direct you to the appropriate documentation.
Sorry I could not be of more help
Hi Richard. I work as an instructor at a locally operated pool in the States. We share a similar frustration here as we currently have no cold water policy, despite being an outdoor pool and operating through the colder months—we're in Florida, so it doesnt get too cold, but there should definitely be a parameter for when we stop operating. Since no policy exists, management and parents still expect us to hold lessons even when conditions are not ideal for little ones—we've even been criticised (by either) for attempting to reschedule for warmer days or holding water safety lessons out of the pool. Today it'll be 49°F during our afternoon lessons with the preschoolers and all signs point to us having to hold them without accommodations... and I'm really anxious.
ReplyDeleteWe're heated, and cut lessons early if we can, but it's so frustrating to be in a position like this. It feels like there's only so much we can do.
Anyways, I'm happy I came across your post. At least I know some people share the same concerns!
G'day, I understand your frustration. Don't get over anxious though. Just keep an eye on your students and get them out and warm as soon as they show any unhealthy signs. Keep up the good work. You sound like a teacher that cares an the parents will notice that and respond to your advice. Who knows your influence may even result in good policy one day.
DeleteHey Richard, I'm a swim coach in West Aus at an outdoor pool. I'm currently writing up a "cold kids" framework/policy for my local swim club. Wanting some justification/research which will back me up to parents when I remove students from my class. At the moment I'm looking to propose when I see shivering and blue lips, kids will be removed to warm up for 15 minutes, and then get back in. Do you think this is appropriate? Ideally, they'd get out and not come back in but need to satisfy parents expectations whilst also protecting students. Kids are between 7 - 13, classes are 45 - 1hr long. Any thoughts are appreciated.
ReplyDeleteG''day,
ReplyDeleteDo West Aussies still call themselves sand gropers or is that not PC anymore?
I will be forever grateful that you guys came up with the idea of under 5's wearing wrist bands. I have watched that policy become a literal saver of lives.
I think given you restraints your 15 min policy is good idea at the very least.
I wonder however, if perhaps it might be possible to be a little more proactive and subtle and get the kids out at regular interval's. So that instead of being out for 15 min they are only out for a min or two. Perhaps doing out of water drills.
You could explain to any astute parent that kids learn better when stay warm. But I wonder if doing it this way would mean that few if any would notice as it look a normal part of the class. Doing this way the kids could even dry off before the land drill and you may never need to wait for blue lips.
This is just a thought. I have never tried it. So I'm just spit balling, as the Americans would say.
You mentioned that the kids are 7 -13 years. At that age, if they have any kind of skill level they should not be still long enough to get cold. As soon as they have finished one drill they should move on to the next.
I hope this helps. Let me know your thoughts.
Thanks for the reply. Re state nicknames I reckon the banana benders and sandgropers might be out of fashion! Not to make you feel old haha I don’t even know the other states!
ReplyDeleteAppreciate your thoughts. Yes, skill level isn't the highest, am working with country kids whom about 70% only swim in the two weeks of ed dept lessons every year. Breaststroke and backstroke are appalling. Maybe all my hard work last season will mean they will be better this season…
Time management wise I have implemented 15 minutes or so of dry land exercises to fix stroke issues, I extend that on cooler days. And I pride myself on keeping those kids moving! It’s mostly wind chill that gets to them so will be addressing wearing more than last years daggy bathers, and swim caps will be used. I literally brought my own spare wetsuits to suit kids up last season. My own daughter swam in a steamer and still got cold.
I am under the impression that getting kids in and out of water would make them colder. Is this not the case? Happy to try both ideas, yours of getting them out and dry regularly, and mine were just the cold ones, get out, get dry and hang around till they warm up and get back in. The kids that can retain body heat aren’t fussed with those kids getting out – it means I can focus more on them. I guess I’m ‘old school’ in a just want them to swim a 30 minute set and then get out!
I’m probably making this into a bigger deal than it actually is, but I want a solid plan so I can implement on the day and get on with it.
G'day, Happy to be called old. Although a lot of the casual swimming customers at the pool call me "Young fella" because they consider anybody under that age of 75 to be young.
DeleteI should have guess you were talking about outdoor pool classes. Living in Melbourne I had assumed you were talking about an un or poorly heated indoor pool. Perhaps it is also another reflection of my age. I don't imagine there are too many, if any left of unheated indoor pools. But I did work in several in days gone by and that is what I was basing my advice on.
You are quite right, getting your students out too often in your environment could make things worse. I therefore heartily endorse your original idea of a 15 min warm up. Though I would still keep the dry land drills idea in that period to help the parents feel they are getting their moneys worth. They could even put a limited amount of cloths on whilst they are doing them.
As for the wetsuit, I used to buy 3 wetsuits at the beginning of each year and that was just to cope in the pools I mentioned above. I used to buy the cheapest I could get at the beginning of each year and write it off on tax. I only bought the cheapest because the chlorinated water destroyed the more expensive ones just as quickly as the cheap ones. I was of course in the water year round and I don't imaging you are doing that in an outdoor pool however, a wetsuit for yourself is essential in your situation. I imaging you are in the water for more that one class.
On the subject of wetsuits, you know that there are a variety of kids wetsuits suitable for such swim lessons (see my drop-down above) that may help. They give a bit more floatation for the more advanced than desirable but it doesn't hurt the less advanced and it by be a suitable compromise. It was for me.
I don't think you are making too much out of this at all. In fact I think that too many make too little out of it. We want children to enjoy the water. If you are teaching in the country, Country children are a hearty bunch. I know, I have friends who are country swim teachers. Nevertheless, cold students are not only at risk but may learn to hate the water and often display behavioural problems. It sounds to me like you are doing a great job. Keep I up.
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ReplyDelete