Child scuba diving, is it okay? what to watch for?

If you are planning a family vacation but are bored with the same choice of destinations, why not try scuba diving? Enjoying the natural wealth under the sea can be an unforgettable experience for your little one, which is also beneficial for health. However, is it enough for scuba diving children to only rely on their swimming skills? Is scuba diving safe for children?

Is scuba diving safe for children?

Scuba diving is safe for children, but it's not that simple. Diving in the deep sea is no joke. Scuba diving requires special equipment rather than simply swimming in public swimming pools. For example, masks, frog legs, air tanks, and special diving suits. Diving in the deep sea also requires special rules, procedures, and techniques that must be learned in advance, so that you can stay safe for long in the water. The reason is, wrong technique or just a little panic when diving, then the threat of life.

According to PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors), children can receive training and certification as junior divers when they are 10 years old. However, in general the various groups of professional divers agree that new diving schools can be attended by children over 12 years of age. So to be able to dive in the sea together at small, you have to wait for him to pass training first to prove himself capable of self-control in the water.

Therefore, reliable swimming skills are of course not enough to measure whether or not children can participate in scuba diving. There are many things that you must pay attention to before inviting children to dive in the open ocean. Several things that can be a sign of a child's readiness to dive include maturity, reason, and physical limitations.

Risks that can occur if a child scuba diving without proper preparation

The European Child Safety Alliance reveals that the ability to control emotions and sharp analytical skills are two important factors that play a big role in child safety during diving. This is certainly not easy, even adults may not be able to do it.

Children tend to get scared and panic easily, so even if he has received formal training, understands diving techniques, and the equipment is in good condition, it is not impossible at a loss so face the real situation under the sea. If he could not control this panic, the risk was fatal.

A survey found that many cases of child mortality while diving were caused by the formation of air embolism in the lungs. This health problem is known to occur when children cannot control their panic, making it difficult for them to breathe when diving.

Another risk that is susceptible to occur in children is hypothermia. In fact, children are more prone to changes in body temperature than adults. Even when swimming in warm water, he is at risk of developing hypothermia.

Things that must be considered when preparing children for scuba diving

There are several things that must be considered when preparing children to take scuba diving, namely

• Children under the age of 8 cannot participate in diving school, let alone dive directly into the sea. Toddler's lungs are not fully mature. Many expert diving organizations recommend that a new child can join diving training when he is 12 years old.
• Children must be at least 150 cm tall and weigh 45 kg before starting to exercise.
• Children are not allowed to do scuba diving, if they experience certain diseases such as:
  • Asthma
  • Heart problems
  • Epilepsy
  • Hyperactive
  • Type 1 diabetes
• Children also should not dive if they are taking some medicines such as:
  • Anti-depressants
  • Antihistamines and decongestants
  • Insulin
  • Nerve stimulation drugs
• Children must be able and strong to jump off the board while carrying all their diving equipment (have no physical limitations that can hinder their movement)

Scuba diving for children is actually safe if it is properly prepared and done when they are over 12 years old. Preparing children for scuba diving, it takes a long time. You have to make sure that your little one is really ready to do it, physically and mentally ready.

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