Safety of Nitrox for Junior Divers?

[Craig66]

At the outset let me state this is not a discussion on junior divers, their maturity level and their depth of understanding of dive physiology. This is a question about the risks and benefits of nitrox.

One of the concerns for juniors diving is the possibility that they might have increased sensitivity to nitrogen accumulation especially in the growth plates of the growing bones.

Would it make sense then to consider nitrox in these divers - not to extend dives and not to increase the depth limits on these divers but rather to make their dives potentially safer.

I guess the counter argument though is that possibly young lungs and young physiology could be more susceptible to damage from higher oxygen tensions.Certainly we know that very high oxygen concentration (close to 100%) can cause lung and optic toxicity in babies. Naturally Nitrox is no where even close to these levels and we are not talking about babies but I wonder at what age we can consider kids having more adult physiology as it pertains to nitro.

My daughter has been diving since age 10 and is now 15 and just completed her 100th dive and I am wondering at what point I should (or perhaps should have) considered nitrox as an option?

 

[dumpsterDiver]

My kids have been using nitrox to 80 feet or so since the age of 10-11.

Using nitrox at depth results in exposure that is MORE than 100% oxygen on the surface.

I mix our tanks for 1.6, but generally try to stay 15 ft or so above that MOD - often even shallower than that. I remember having my 11 or 12 yr old on a night dive that got deeper and longer than I expected and when I looked at my kid's computer (which was running air) - it was showing a little deco. I was really glad we were doing nitrox on that dive.

Until my kid was about 14, he was generally using an old air computer and we tried to keep it out of deco. Now the youngest is 16, and I am comfortable pushing to the limits of no deco based on the actual nitrox mix.

 

[knotical]

Because of the unknowns and unknowables, I think kids should dive conservatively. Period.

When to introduce nitrox? The same as for adults - when/if the diver starts approaching deco limits as opposed to ending their dives because they’re running low on air.

not a doctor

 

[uncfnp]

According to PADI

"If you’re a PADI (Junior) Open Water Diver who is at least 12 years old, you can enroll in the Enriched Air Diver Specialty course. Note that in some regions the minimum age is older than 12."

I see no risk (assuming appropriate MOD of course) and potential benefit with less nitrogen load. Same as some of us older individuals. Not alway used to increase bottom time but as an added safety factor. In this case, the addition of Nitrox is diving conservatively.

As to whether or not it is significant enough of a benefit to be worth the added cost and hassle of nitrox may be more the question.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

One reminder. Nitrox does not increase the depth limits, it decreases them.

 

[GAdiver]

In my experience as a teen nitrox diver, I didn't notice any ill affects on my body and my parents (both MD's) haven't noticed any either. This coming from 4 yrs of nitrox diving through PADI and 2 yrs of accelerated decompression diving through IANTD.

 

[Craig66]

One reminder. Nitrox does not increase the depth limits, it decreases them.

Maxbootmtime you are right except in this situation. It would potentially allow a younger diver to go a little deeper without as much concern for nitrogen loading. We are talking about MOD's here we are talking about going to 70 feet vs say 50 feet. This might be important in a reef system that is only beginning at 60 - 70 feet.

 

[ZzzKing]

The suggested depth limitation of junior divers would be completely independent of oxygen content, no? 40' would still be 40' or whatever the certifying agency says it is.

 

[DarinJ]

My son is 14 & has just completed his PADI AOW certification which increases his recommended depth limit to 70'. The vast majority of our dives are shallower than 75' and we rarely dive on consecutive days. For the diving we do, it is not likely that we will need nitrox training any time soon--we are always well within our NDLs. If I could ever afford a liveabord trip, that could change!

***NOT trying to restart any previous discussions regarding depth limits for junior divers or certification agency depth limits!! --Just using our usual dive profiles as an example


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dumpsterDiver]

My son is 14 & has just completed his PADI AOW certification which increases his recommended depth limit to 70'. The vast majority of our dives are shallower than 75' and we rarely dive on consecutive days. For the diving we do, it is not likely that we will need nitrox training any time soon--we are always well within our NDLs. If I could ever afford a liveabord trip, that could change!

***NOT trying to restart any previous discussions regarding depth limits for junior divers or certification agency depth limits!! --Just using our usual dive profiles as an example


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I had my 15 yr old diving 130 on this trip a year ago. Lately, I have been considering if it might be worth the trouble to get him the AOW.

[video=youtube;sUxUMiWHQgE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUxUMiWHQgE[/video]