When is the best time to start taking your child to the pool. In the pool with a child in winter: is it worth the risk? How to prepare your child for swimming

In addition, newborns, thanks to swimming, easily adapt to the surrounding reality, three-year-olds will improve their posture, and those who are older will get used to iron discipline.

At what age to send a child to swimming depends mainly on his, and sometimes your desire. You can sign up for the pool at two, four, seven years old. However, swimming lessons will not scare even a baby who is only a few months old. After all, before birth, children literally bathe in amniotic fluid. Therefore, newborns can make the first swims as soon as the umbilical wound heals - in 2-3 weeks.

Up to a year: relieve stress

Classes with babies are held in small groups of 5-6 couples mother + baby. Your baby doll will do the first exercises together with the instructor, but very soon he will become independent and will begin to amaze you with his complete fearlessness, ability to dive and ... communicate with his own kind of little ones! That's right: despite the prevailing opinion that children under 6 months are completely “unsocial”, in such classes, little swimmers are drawn to each other, and sometimes you can even see the spirit of rivalry in them! Needless to say, how much joy such lessons bring to children!

However, a good mood is not the only plus of baby swimming. According to experts, being in the water allows a newly born child to relax, relieves postpartum stress. And, of course, the baby pool is a great way to harden. If your baby is familiar with the water element from birth, on your first joint trip to the sea you will not have to carry a huge first-aid kit with cold medicines. But keep in mind: in order for the baby's immunity to become stronger, you need to properly prepare the little one for the first swimming lessons. The temperature of the amniotic fluid during pregnancy was 37º, and the baby pool - 29º. Therefore, you need to start with a warm homemade bath with 36.6º. Then, day by day, lower this figure to the temperature of the pool. Take your time, make sure that the little one is comfortable. If it seems to you that he is cool, add warm water. Along with the decrease in temperature, increase the time spent in the bath: start with 5-10 minutes, and by the time you go to the pool, bring it up to 30.

However, infant swimming has its opponents. Some experts argue that swimming in the pool is the cause of frequent runny noses and otitis media in very young children. Water that has penetrated the nasopharynx leads to inflammation of the mucous membrane, and if it enters the digestive system, it leads to indigestion. Also, baby diving, which gives a feeling of floating in weightlessness, is fraught with a tendency to dizziness and negatively affects the child’s sense of space and balance.

Protest against such early dives and coaches. According to statistics, none of those who were taught to swim in infancy became in the future not only a champion, but even just a professional swimmer. The fact is that newborn children are held almost vertically in the water and then it is impossible to retrain them. So if you want to see your treasure on a podium with a gold medal - take your time with the pool.

After two: improve posture

Two to three years is the ideal age for swimming. It was at this time that the baby's posture is actively formed, and the load on the spine is removed in the water. Swimming also strengthens bones, is an excellent prevention of flat feet and increases endurance. And, of course, every time, returning from the pool, the baby will amaze you with a wolfish appetite and sleep sound, healthy sleep.

But remember, swimming will only be beneficial if you don't take it too seriously. Experts insist that up to 5 years old, a pool for a baby should be fun. You need to go to practice no more than once or twice a week, but you do not need to teach him to swim. You can show some movements, “carry” the child on the surface of the water so that he feels it and gets used to it, the main thing is to do what he likes! Indeed, at this age, many children are afraid to swim, and only games and fun splashing can destroy fear. Choose a fitness club with a shallow children's pool and a smiling trainer. It is better if you sign up your little one for group classes: even if the crumbs are horrified by the mere thought of touching the water with their heel, in the company of peers, he will quickly cope with his phobias.

Carefully watch the child frolicking in the water. Stop exercising immediately if he has the effect of "marble" or "goose bumps" and if it becomes bluish, these are the first signs of hypothermia. Pull the baby out of the water if he is overexcited, anxious or just tired. Have you noticed that all of the above is repeated often? Be sure to take a break from classes or even postpone the pool for a few years. If at this age a negative attitude towards swimming is fixed in a child, then you will not drag him into the water with any gingerbread.

With all the advantages of swimming in the pool, there are also disadvantages. Even conscientiously purified water can harm the young Ichthyander. This is especially true for children with dry and allergy-prone skin. Any element of disinfection, be it ozone or chlorine, loosens the baby's epidermis, which simplifies the "access to the body" of bacteria, which are enough in most pools.

5 years: raise a champion

If you see your offspring as a world champion in swimming, you should enroll your baby in the pool when he is 5-6 years old. Firstly, it is at this age that children are accepted into serious swimming sections, and secondly, the child is already able to understand what his uncle-coach wants from him. But keep in mind: if swimming turns into a sport, the pool will no longer be a place for fun games for the baby. First three, and then five times a week, your champion will achieve serious sports results. This is hard work, so it is very important for you to support the young swimmer in everything and provide him with proper nutrition. This question is best discussed with a nutritionist and trainer. After all, if the baby is tired or hungry all the time, this is unlikely to have a positive effect on his health and sports career.

Most importantly, pay attention to the mood in which your athlete is going to the pool and returning from there. If your mother's instinct tells you that the child is not enthusiastic about swimming lessons, try to find out the reason. Perhaps he does not have contact with the coach, then you should think about another section and a new teacher. There is a chance that the baby just does not like to swim, but he does not want to upset you. Then forget about your new Phelps mum ambitions and offer the champion something more exciting that will suit him first and not you. In addition, sooner or later, serious training loads will begin to affect the performance of your child. Indeed, every year the requirements for a young athlete will grow, and he simply will not have time to study.

Two sides of the coin
	pros	Minuses
Breath	Swimming in any sports style, the child overcomes the resistance of the water, and each inhalation and exhalation is an excellent breathing exercise for him.	As a rule, all children's swimming training takes place in an indoor pool, where the air is very humid and chlorine evaporation is often present, albeit in small quantities. For the lungs, this is of dubious benefit.
Health	Absolutely any kind of swimming is an excellent physical preparation, but it brings special benefits to the cardiovascular system. In the pool, the child is in a horizontal position and almost in weightlessness, respectively, the load on the heart is reduced.	Almost all swimmers have their own "professional" diseases. These include chronic rhinitis and skin diseases.
Safety	The ability to float freely and impress your friends and classmates with your swimming technique is already a huge plus!	According to statistics, 65-70% of drowned children either regularly visited the pool, or seriously engaged in swimming. The reason for this is the loss of a sense of danger in front of the familiar water element and the reassessment of one's capabilities.

Expert opinion

Alexey Vasin, children's swimming coach of the Velich COUNTRY Club fitness center:

Unlike gender-based sports like hockey or calisthenics, swimming is for everyone, boys and girls alike. The only exception is synchronized swimming, and even then this discipline has become a women's sport solely because of aesthetics. After all, a strong hairy male leg above the water is unlikely to impress the audience. As for water polo, which has always been considered a sport for boys, now girls also play it. So it doesn't matter if you have a son or a daughter. You can safely enroll your child in the pool. But keep in mind that swimming has its own contraindications: congenital heart disease, skin diseases, acute viral infections. Classes should be skipped even if the child has a fever. As for professional swimming, in order to be accepted into the section, the baby must be absolutely healthy.

Looking for clean water

Ozone and chlorine. The era of abundant falling asleep with bleach is long gone. According to current laws, in the pool, especially for children, there must be drinking water! A new word in its purification is ozone. But remember, it alone is not enough. Make sure that ozonation is still followed by chlorination, but the dose of chlorine is reduced to a safe one.

Ultraviolet. As for the fashionable and odorless method of disinfection - ultraviolet irradiation of water, experts advise avoiding it: it is likely that microorganisms are still present in the pool and actively multiply under the artificial "sun".

Silver and copper. Recently, copper and silver ions have been used to disinfect water. The method captivates with the absence of chemistry, but professionals say that it is good for small baths. For large tanks, this method will only be effective if the pool is cleaned 24 hours a day. And this is too expensive pleasure for the budget of any organization. Therefore, be sure to ask how conscientiously the water is disinfected in the pool you have chosen.

• Relax-meditation "Happy Mom" ​​- NEW PROGRAM for expectant mothers!

DatsoPic 2.0 2009 by Andrey Datso

These days, going to the pool has become a very popular way to spend time with children. Especially in the summer, among those who stay in the city and do not go south or out of town.

And many parents have a question - at what age can a child be taken to the pool? And in general, is it good for the baby? These questions turn out to be very multifaceted, and they need to be considered carefully.

As for age, it is recommended to go to the pool with a baby who is already 3 years old. But in general, you can start such a practice from a year old, and even earlier, but only on one condition: you will go with your child to the children's pool, where there is a place for bathing such children. They can’t go into the usual one - it’s too deep, which creates a danger, and bleach won’t do them any good. It is not recommended to take very young children to the pool in the winter - there is a risk of catching a cold. But starting from the age of three, you can already drive in winter.

In general, this aspect largely depends on the capabilities of the parents and on the desire of the child himself, on his behavior on the water. At the same time, know that a small, even an infant, perfectly perceives water, because the first months of his life and development passed in this environment, in the amniotic fluid. It is only important to find a good swimming group, or a suitable children's pool - and you can start classes. Just remember - up to 5 years swimming should be just entertainment, not a sport!

And now let's look at the pros and cons of early swimming - after all, in this regard, the opinions of some pediatricians differ, which creates some confusion in their views.

There are many benefits to regularly visiting a pool. At a minimum, this is a great way to harden a child, which always brings a sensitive result. In practice, this is especially noticeable - children visiting the pool get sick 3-4 times less often than their friends who do not enjoy such a privilege, and they develop much better physically. The physical development of such children is determined by the physical activity provided by such activities, and in addition, such measures increase the child's endurance. Going swimming, the child provides himself with a harmonious development of muscles, a uniform load on the entire musculoskeletal system, and in particular, on the spine. It is important to note that the spine rests while swimming, the water allows it to return to its natural forms, to unload after walking upright.

Swimming, even freestyle, with a circle, and not sports in the section, is an excellent gymnastics that is ideal for a child. And when he learns to dive and swim under water, he also begins to do breathing exercises. Immersion in the aquatic environment is also a great stress reliever - water is great for calming children. The baby calms down, and when he returns home, he falls asleep perfectly. The immunity of the child due to all these factors is only being strengthened - this is already implied in itself.

But there are certain disadvantages that should not be forgotten either. A number of experts are firmly convinced that a pool for very young children can become a source of trouble in the form of otitis media, runny nose. This occurs as a result of water entering the nasopharynx - this factor can cause inflammation of the mucous membranes. Also, if water from the pool enters the esophagus, indigestion can occur. But the practice of mothers who often visit decent pools with their children shows that it is very difficult to encounter something like this in practice.

If the child has dry skin or is prone to allergies, pool water can harm him. And even if it is cleaned in the most conscientious way, and disinfected with sparing elements. Both chlorine and ozone can loosen baby's skin, which is already thin. The epidermis in this state will easily pass pathogenic bacteria, and there are many of them in any pool.

In some cases, visiting the pool for a child is simply contraindicated. A child should not be sent there if he has a temperature, if there are open wounds, convulsions, skin inflammation. You can not visit the pool also with acute current diseases.

In order for the child to endure the first classes well, you need to prepare him for going to the pool. In the children's pool, the water temperature is maintained at 29 degrees. For a child, this temperature is quite low, especially for a baby - amniotic fluid has a temperature of 37 degrees. And therefore you need to accustom him, using a home bath for this. It is necessary to teach the child to bathe first in a warm bath with a temperature of 36-37 degrees, and then gradually begin to lower it to 30. But you need to do everything gradually, in a week or two, you should not rush into this. It is necessary to carefully monitor the condition of the child, and if he complains of discomfort, or simply cries, do everything more slowly. No need to supercool the child on the go.

There are doubts about the correctness of all activities? - Then be sure to consult your own pediatrician. Or invite a specialist who is engaged in infant swimming - he will tell you.

You can’t just come to the pool and immediately start classes. Something for such a pastime will have to be prepared in advance. You will need to bring certificates from doctors - mother from a gynecologist and a dermatovenereologist, and a child from a pediatrician, tests for enterobiasis and worm eggs. You will also need some things, in particular a towel, a very good option would be a towel with a hood, reusable diapers for the pool or swimming trunks, food or a bottle if the baby is not breastfed. Mom needs to take a bathing suit and flip flops, shampoo, soap and a washcloth.

Did you take it to the pool? - Excellent! Exercise periodically, no more than once or twice a week. Let this be a holiday and entertainment for him, and not a reason for fear. Watch the baby - if he starts to turn blue or goosebumps - he needs to be warmed up. The kid is tired, overexcited or worried about something - pull him out, because it is important that he does not have a negative attitude towards water. Classes should bring only joy.

Children's trainer Alexei Vasin claims that three years is the best age to start exercising in the pool. During this period, the baby's posture is being formed, so swimming will be a great way to strengthen the spine. But it should be borne in mind that for a three-year-old child, the pool is, first of all, entertainment. It is sad to look at kids who go to "swim" with their parents more than three times a week. For them, splashing in the water quickly becomes a boring and uninteresting activity, because a small body is not at all ready for intense physical exertion. A child under five years old should visit the pool no more than once or twice a week.

Children five years of age and older

For kids, splashing in the water quickly becomes boring and uninteresting, because a small body is not at all ready for intense physical exertion.

It is at the age of five that children begin to be admitted to swimming sections. During this period, the child is already able to understand the coaching instructions and perform the proposed exercises. Five-year-olds can already use the pool three times a week. But parents should carefully monitor the daily routine and nutrition of the child. Regular physical activity requires a lot of energy, so the baby should not come to class sleepy or hungry.

Pay attention to the mood

Also, parents need to monitor the mood of the child. If the baby is sad after each workout, it is worth finding out from him the reasons for the depressed state. Perhaps the coach has not yet been able to establish psychological contact with the child, or the kid is not at all enthusiastic about swimming.

Therefore, it is so important for parents to take into account the interests of a preschooler when choosing a children's sports section. Does your child want to swim? Does he like the coach? Does he feel discomfort at the sight of the pool? Take the time to figure out every little thing. After all, children's answers will help parents find a really good section where the child will go with joy.

Contraindications

Five-year-olds can already use the pool three times a week. But parents should carefully monitor the daily routine and nutrition of the child.

Despite the fact that girls and boys can go to the pool from an early age, swimming sports have their own contraindications. These include congenital heart disease, skin diseases, acute viral infections, allergies to chemicals (chlorine, ozone) that are used to purify water. If the child has a cold, and he even has a low temperature, then swimming should be postponed until complete recovery.

The first babies who found themselves on the swimming path have long become adults. And doctors have the opportunity to track the consequences of the experiment, draw conclusions and even come to discoveries. The results are most optimistic: the pioneers of infant swimming have many advantages: they rarely get sick, have the correct posture, well-developed abdominal wall, respiratory muscles and lungs. Water, being a mechanical and thermal irritant, has a beneficial effect on the capillaries of the skin, enhancing blood and lymph circulation and other metabolic processes, and strengthens the musculoskeletal system.

Swimming pool for children: public

There are practically no contraindications for children's swimming. Any toddler can master this sport, regardless of the presence or absence of special data. If the child is engaged in the pool, then, as a rule, it is not necessary to invent any additional motivation in order for him to love the activity. After all, the pool is fun.

Note. If a child knows how to swim, then in the future he can master those sports where swimming is a mandatory skill, for example, water polo, underwater rugby, rowing, kayaking, surfing, triathlon, sailing.

Regular exercise in the pool brings many benefits:

• train the respiratory and cardiovascular systems;
• increase strength and endurance;
• improve posture and develop the vestibular apparatus.

Child in the pool in winter: how not to get sick?

But there are also risks. Where without them! Winter and wet hair are two things that can easily lead to hypothermia and, as a result, illness.

After a warm shower or even more sultry sauna, the heated baby is on the street and gets every chance to sniff and cough in the evening. To prevent this from happening, remember:

• After visiting the pool, be sure to wipe dry and properly dry the skin and hair of the baby.
• 10-15 minutes to trample in the lobby of the pool to cool down, ventilate yourself and dry your underwear, which may be a little damp.
• Do not overexpose a baby already dressed for going outside in the pool wardrobe. After all, he can not only cool down, but also sweat.
• After the pool go home, not shopping or for a walk.

Note. If on the way home you have to spend a lot of time with your child in the cold while waiting for a bus or other public transport, then at very low temperatures (below minus 15 ° C), use a taxi. As a last resort, skip the pool. Warm up and make up for lost time.

Child in the pool: around the enemies?

A pool full of people can contain many disease-causing bacteria, viruses, or protozoa that will cause gastrointestinal inflammation, gastroenteritis, respiratory and eye infections, pneumonia, and urinary tract infections. But the little swimmer has not even been vaccinated against polio, whooping cough and tetanus yet! And if he received a vaccine, then it still does not work in full, because immunity has just begun to be developed.

Note. Disposable swim diapers provide very little protection. Researchers have tested different models many times and found that such products still let through microparticles of pathogenic organisms after 5 minutes of being in water. And this means that it is still better to swim in highly chlorinated pools.

Child in the pool: is bleach dangerous?

There are health risks associated with chlorination itself, and these must be balanced against the likelihood of contamination. Studies show that disinfectants themselves can also be hazardous to health, especially for children. Chlorine, even in minimal amounts, irritates the skin and respiratory tract. Therefore, this substance should not be excessive in the water of the pool. This is followed by managers who from time to time test the condition of the water in the pool. But that's not the only problem with disinfectants.

It happens that chlorine compounds with other substances form harmful by-products, for example, when chlorine reacts with urine, saliva, sweat, feces, skin particles or unwashed cosmetics, chlorine forms dangerous chemical compounds. They are able to penetrate the skin into the bloodstream. The kid will swallow them with water. And some will evaporate and end up on the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx, in the bronchi and lungs.

Note! Avoid swimming pools that don't insist on swimmers being clean, including pre-dip showers and caps. When people wash with soap and water before entering the pool, they help to minimize the generation of viruses, bacteria and harmful by-products of chemical reactions, which are abundant in any pool.

What about a cold?

Quite often, pediatricians have to deal with the fact that parents refuse to take their children to classes in the pool just because they are afraid of developing asthma. This is understandable, because chlorine itself, and any substances that are in the water, can be respiratory (penetrating into the respiratory tract) irritants and cause coughs, allergies and lung damage. And for quite a long time, scientists have been trying to find a solution to the dilemma: swimming is also useful for getting rid of asthma, including as it expands the volume of the lungs. But the water in which the training takes place provokes the development of this very asthma. Many scattered studies have been published on this topic. And their results often directly contradict each other. One of the most convincing is a longitudinal (study of a group of individuals of the same composition over time) experiment, following 5,700 British children from 6 months of age. Scientists went from the opposite, aiming to prove that exercising in the pool increases the risk of developing asthma. And they didn't find anything.

Note! But the fact has been proven more than once: in children with asthma, who have been swimming since infancy, attacks occurred less and less. And besides, these children almost did not suffer from respiratory diseases. And this is another plus in favor of exercising in the pool.

Child in the pool: a reminder for parents

• After swimming, make sure that the child is wiped dry and dry his hair.
• Do not go home right away, let the baby stay in the hall for 10-15 minutes to cool down before going out into the cold.
• Immediately after class, you should head home, and not go for a walk.
• If you smell chlorine in the pool, then there is too much of this substance in the water. This is the rule of thumb proposed by researchers Brent S. Rushall and Larry Weisenthal. Tell the manager to take action.
• Find a pool equipped with a ventilation system, where not the same air circulates through the cleaning filters, but is replaced with fresh air from the street. Avoid pools with low ceilings, where it is difficult to create a good forced draft.
• Teach your kids not to pee or spit in the pool. Not only is this unsightly and unhygienic, it contributes to the creation of disinfection by-products.
• Find out what kind of disinfection system is in place in the pool where you are going to take your child. According to research, the safest approach to disinfection may be the combined use of disinfectants: UV irradiation with additional chlorination.
• Be sure to wash before and after the pool with soap and a washcloth. Rinse well. This will reduce the amount of hazardous substances that can enter the body. Don't forget your hair.

Swimming is undoubtedly considered one of the most rewarding sports. It is recommended for both adults and children for the development and strengthening of the body. But, as in any endeavor, when collecting a child in the pool, parents are faced with many questions. At what age should you start taking your toddler swimming? When to start serious training? And how to protect yourself from everyone lying in wait for a little swimmer in city pools? So let's look for answers...

When can you start taking your child to the pool?

For the purpose of hardening and healing up to 2-3 years it is quite possible to take in a home bath. If parents are eager to teach their baby to swim as soon as possible, then approximately from 3 years old you can start go to the pool with the baby. Ideally, this should be a children's pool, where the child will be able to stand in the water. Optimal depth - across the chest. Lessons with a coach can usually start at the age from 5 to 7 years old. It all depends on the characteristics of the child and the willingness of the coach to take responsibility for the baby.

One more point: It is important for parents to decide on the purpose of visiting the pool. It can be health training or sports. Moderate water activities (40-45 minutes 1-2 times a week) contribute to the correct formation of posture, the harmonious development of muscles, are useful for the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Swimming perfectly relieves stress, reduces hypertonicity, and has a beneficial effect on hyperactive children. But big sport- that's a completely different story. This is hard and painstaking work, and not just health-improving swims.

How should the classes be?

• 1. Coach's Choice is the key to success. A competent and child-respecting specialist will not only teach the child to swim, but also monitor compliance with the basic rules of hygiene in the pool. As a result, the chances of catching a cold or catching the same fungus in the pool will be significantly reduced. Do not be shy and come to the first classes to see in person.
• 2. Commonly used for learning to swim rubber cap, goggles and a special swimming board. Circles, sleeves, vests are not intended for serious activities.
• 3. The group must have no more than 12 children. Ideal for up to 10 people. It is better if the children are about the same age and level of training. In this case, classes will be more effective.

Pool hazards and precautions.

1. Bleach. Everyone knows that pool water is chlorinated. Even where water is ozonized, chlorine is also present in the water, only in smaller quantities. Chlorine can cause irritation to delicate baby skin, respiratory allergies and allergic dermatitis.

How to be?

• - Choose a pool with a combined disinfection system (ozone + chlorine) and with the most modern cleaning system possible.
• - Protect your eyes while swimming with goggles, head with a rubber cap.
• - After training, thoroughly wash yourself in the shower using cleansers that moisturize your skin.
• - If there is a sauna in the pool, then before visiting it, chlorinated water must also be washed off the body.
• - Do not visit the pool too often: even 1 time per week is enough for a child, especially in winter.

2. Infection with infections. The worst thing you can bring from the pool is fungal skin diseases, viral warts, molluscum contagiosum, urogenital chlamydia. In fact, the risk of contracting these ailments is somewhat exaggerated, although isolated cases still take place. Some are so frightened that they forget nature's wisely designed defenses - our immunity. A person with a healthy immune system is reliably protected from the invasion of uninvited guests. Skin diseases can only be contracted outside the water: in contact with benches, floors, walls. And most often, if there are wounds or microcracks on the skin. Chlamydia also die in chlorinated water, and in order to become infected with them, contact with a fairly large number of microorganisms is necessary. (for example, if you literally wash the genitals with a washcloth of a sick person). Children may also develop otitis media. But if you take precautions, then the risk of infection and disease can be reduced to almost zero.

How to be?

• - Be sure to ask how strictly they check in the pool availability of references.
• - Check how carefully the pool is monitored for water temperature (optimal - not lower than 27 degrees C) and chlorine levels. Feel free to ask the medic for the appropriate magazine.
• - The child must enjoy only with your towel, comb and other personal hygiene items. It's better to give him 2 towels: for body and legs. And even better, a small one. bench pad.
• - Everywhere in the pool to walk only in slates. It is better if they are sufficiently closed or with high soles. Remove slates only when entering the water.
• - Don't touch the walls in the shower and toilet, do not sit on benches without swimming trunks.
• - After visiting the pool carefully wash in the shower using detergents.
• - home again wash swimming trunks, wash slates.
• - Can be purchased disinfectant foot cream with antifungal protection and lubricate their feet before putting on socks after the pool.
• - For prophylactic girls, Miramistin spray can be used.
• - Do not let the child into the pool if he is not feeling well. A weakened immune system will not be able to protect him from infections.
• - In order not to provoke otitis, carefully dry your ear canals with cotton swabs after shower. And in training keep your ears under a rubber cap so that no water gets in.
• - It's good if the pool has sauna. After classes, it is useful for the child to warm up a little.
• - Explain to the baby that in the pool can't run. On a wet floor, it is easy to slip and get injured.

AND THE MOST IMPORTANT: Before visiting the pool, be sure to consult with the local pediatrician.
Swim for health, not to harm it!