Learn to swim: The toddler guide

ONE of the activities some parents have taken up this endless summer is enrolling their children in learn-to-swim classes, as this skill is critical when you live on an island. Kids are also starting swimming lessons much younger nowadays — while they’re still in diapers — as many parents feel that the younger they start, the better.

A little preparation can go a long way when it comes to children and water play, and paediatrics specialist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Dr Jay L Hoecker, shares these tips which you can apply when you sign up your toddler for swimming lessons.

Can babies or toddlers wear diapers in the water?

Swim diapers and swim pants are water-repellent and fit snugly around a child’s thighs and waist, but they’re not waterproof. If your child has a bowel movement in the water, faecal material might escape the diaper.

A dirty diaper might contain diarrhoea-causing germs, including the parasite cryptosporidium — which can contaminate pool water or other swimming areas. In otherwise healthy people, a cryptosporidium infection causes diarrhoea. The consequences can be more severe for people who have weak immune systems.

Urine in the water is less risky than faeces, but it’s difficult to separate the two when children wear diapers. If you allow your child to swim in a diaper take breaks to change the diaper in the bathroom or use the toilet. Don’t allow swimming if your child has diarrhoea.

Is it risky for children to swallow pool water?

Your child is bound to gulp pool water at one time or another, especially when first learning to swim. A little swallowed pool water isn’t typically a cause for concern, but too much pool water can lead to illness. Encourage your child to spit out any water that gets in his or her mouth.

Can children swim if they have ear tubes?

If your child has ear tubes — tiny cylinders placed through the eardrum to drain fluid and allow air into the middle ear — ask his or her doctor about ear protection during swimming. Some doctors recommend that children who have ear tubes wear earplugs while swimming to prevent bacteria from entering the middle ear. However, routine use of earplugs might only be needed when children dive or swim in untreated water, such as rivers.

What’s the best way to prevent swimmer’s ear?

Swimmer’s ear is an infection that’s often treated with prescription eardrops. To prevent swimmer’s ear use the following methods:

•Keep ears dry. Encourage your child to wear earplugs while swimming. After swimming, dry your child’s ears by wiping the outer ears gently with a soft towel or use a hair dryer. Put the hair dryer on the lowest setting and hold it at least one foot (about 30 centimetres) away from the ear.

•At-home preventive treatment: If your child doesn’t have punctured eardrums, use home-made preventive eardrops before and after swimming. A mixture of one part white vinegar to one part rubbing alcohol might help promote drying and prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi that can cause swimmer’s ear. Pour one teaspoon (about five millilitres) of the solution into each ear and let it drain back out. Similar over-the-counter solutions might be available at your pharmacy.

•Avoid putting foreign objects in your child’s ear. Don’t use cotton swabs in your child’s ears, which can pack material deeper into the ear canal, irritate the thin skin inside the ear, or break the skin.

What about red eyes after swimming?

Exposure to chlorine might leave your child with red eyes. To ease discomfort and reduce redness after swimming, rinse your child’s eyes with a sterile eyewash or an artificial tears solution. To prevent red or puffy eyes, encourage your child to wear goggles while swimming.

What’s the best age to begin swimming lessons?

Many kids learn to ride a bike and to swim on their own at the same age — often the summer before kindergarten. The American Academy of Pediatrics supports swimming lessons for most children age four and older.

If you enrol a child younger than age four in a swimming programme, pick one that requires parental involvement, has qualified teachers, and a fun atmosphere, and involves a limited number of underwater submersions. This will limit the amount of water your child might swallow.

Can children swim when they’re sick or have cuts and scrapes?

It’s fine for children who have colds or other minor illnesses to swim, as long as they feel well enough to do so. Likewise, it’s OK for children to swim with cuts and scrapes — as long as the wounds aren’t bleeding.

Is it OK to swim right after eating?

It’s OK to swim immediately after a light meal or snack. If your child feels lethargic after eating a heavy meal, however, encourage him or her to take a break before swimming.