diving at age 10 ?

[PGL]

My kids are now 12 and 10, and have been avid snorkellers for years. On our last diving holiday, I took them everyday 'buddy breathing' to approx 30 ft depths for 10 minutes each and of course they loved it ! Now I'm planning to have them take a course and certification so we can dive together.
=> I have seen or heard some caveats, but can't seem to find any 'hard' reliable info about kids diving and medical implications. Can anyone help ?
Thanks...............Philip

 

[Bob3]

... can't seem to find any 'hard' reliable info ...

There isn't any "hard" evidence either way, though there is enough "rumor" to make it worth thinking about.
Primary concern is of bone formation in persons who have not yet finished growing.

My own kids have been blowing bubbles since they were 6 & 8, they were over 16 by the time they were allowed to venture into water over 25'.

 

[DennisW]

Allowing children to breath from a regulator at depth can be extremely dangerous.

There are several threads regarding children and SCUBA. Here is one.

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10252

and another:

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2485

If you allow your children to use SCUBA, get them trained first.

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

Thanks for the info.

 

[The Iceni]

Hi Phillip,

One factor you must consider and it has nothing to do with growing joints or any other medical consideration.

Are they large enough and strong enough to rescue on you or each other?

 

[PGL]

Dear Paul,

Sorry if I make more than a few people freak out completely, but actually I myself am a T4 paraplegic, which means (as you would know) I only have use of my shoulders and arms -and head, for what it's worth ;-)... So if I take my two boys diving (i.e. just the three of us) there would definitely be a question of "who can save who".

When it comes to diving with my children, of course I'll have to consider my specific condition. Otherwise, to follow up on your comment above, my kids are strong and healthy, and would be physically able to help each other out, but I guess this is where I join other people's reservations about diving for smaller kids : looking at how they deal with other sports, including pretty extreme ones, I strongly feel they can handle their own selves in the water as well as or even better than many adults I've seen paddling around with diving gear on. However, I doubt they have the mental ability to deal with extreme situations such as having to help or rescue a dive buddy.

Regarding this specific point of 'maturity', and although I agree with certain comments found in other threads to the effect that some adults (specially male) can be just as reckless as kids in the face of danger, I would still say that definitely my older son (12) feels much more reliable than the younger one (10). Physically they're on par, but I doubt either of them can be expected to be a good buddy, even to each other.

This being said, I still intend to take them diving, just as I let them ride their bikes on open roads around our neighbourhood, or climb trees... I am surprised at how divers appear to want to 'over-regulate' the sport, in comparison to mountain climbing for example, where nobody needs a certification to go fall off a cliff or freeze to death in a snow cave... I agree to the need for proper instruction and knowledge, but isn't the whole thing getting a bit out of hand -with the help of 'for-profit' instruction groups who benefit from people's frenzy to acquire extra stars ?

Here you go, now I've gone and made myself a few ennemies... but -just to open a new debate- having 'died' once in a motorbike accident, I feel I should be free to choose my own way to die next, as long as I don't put other people's lives in danger (including my kids')...........Philip

 

[Walter]

Philip,

I agree with some of your points.

"I am surprised at how divers appear to want to 'over-regulate' the sport"

I think it's already over regulated and under educated. There are choices, everyone should fully understand their options and then make decisions for themselves.

"if I take my two boys diving (i.e. just the three of us) there would definitely be a question of "who can save who"."

I'm hoping you understand (it seems that you do) you are not their best choice for a buddy and they are not yours. When the 3 of you go diving, you should each have a competent adult buddy.

"I strongly feel they can handle their own selves in the water as well as or even better than many adults I've seen paddling around with diving gear on."

Yes, there are a bunch of incompetent divers out there. A properly trained child would be able to handle himself much better than a poorly trained adult. Developmental issues do not go away with competence. Poor training comes to light at various trimes, for example, your instructor should have made it clear that sharing air with anyone who is not certified is potentially fatal.

"However, I doubt they have the mental ability to deal with extreme situations such as having to help or rescue a dive buddy."

I'm glad you recognize this.

"I agree to the need for proper instruction and knowledge"

Unfortunately, proper instruction is the exception, rather than the rule.

"but isn't the whole thing getting a bit out of hand -with the help of 'for-profit' instruction groups who benefit from people's frenzy to acquire extra stars ?"

It's out of hand in that classes exist that are all fluff and no substance.

"I feel I should be free to choose my own way to die next, as long as I don't put other people's lives in danger (including my kids')"

I agree. Any adult should be free to kill themselves in any method they choose as long as it does not hurt anyone else. I think we should raise the minimum age for SCUBA to avoid putting children in danger.

 

[The Iceni]

PGL once bubbled...
Dear Paul,

Sorry if I make more than a few people freak out completely, but actually I myself am a T4 paraplegic, . . . I am surprised at how divers appear to want to 'over-regulate' the sport, in comparison to mountain climbing for example, where nobody needs a certification to go fall off a cliff or freeze to death in a snow cave... I agree to the need for proper instruction and knowledge, but isn't the whole thing getting a bit out of hand -with the help of 'for-profit' instruction groups who benefit from people's frenzy to acquire extra stars ?

Hi Phillip,

Sorry to learn of the consequences of your M/C accident. I admire your spirit but the real difference between diving and sports such as mountaineering is that, in general, diving is an organised/group event most frequently undertaken in a commercial setting - even if only the hire of the boat - it is therefore regulated by statute and insurance requirements. This where the "regulation" appears - in the commercial setting. In the UK most diving is club orientated and therefore much less regulated (but we all have a legal "duty of care"). However, even then, we tend to dive in buddy pairs because diving in the North Sea, for example, is very demanding and we rely on our buddies but there are several I know who dive solo or well outside BSAC recommended limits.

Sadly, an "unfit" diver is a liability, in that he will always require support or at least supervision. Which is why I, for one, believe too little attention is currently paid in the UK to medical fitness, although I see no reason why people such as yourself should not dive within US-defined recreational limits with adequate support.

As for your children, how would you feel if one of them was injured or died because they were not accompanied by someone able to provide any assistance when it was needed?

Here you go, now I've gone and made myself a few enemies... but -just to open a new debate- having 'died' once in a motorbike accident, I feel I should be free to choose my own way to die next, as long as I don't put other people's lives in danger (including my kids')...........Philip

I don't think you will have made any enemies on this forum. You sound like a sensible, caring father. It is much easier to teach children than adults so yours should grow to be superbly competent divers if they stick it out. (I am neither approving or disapproving as there is no evidence that diving harms growing tissues. We only know it may do. I understand more and more children are learning scuba with the YMCA and similar organisations. It is inevitable that there will be a trajedy in time and we all know the furore that will follow.)

We have more than one thing in common. My long-term injuries from my little incident are much less severe than your own but since I am no longer able to dive, I bought myself a little birthday present. I have not had one of these for fifteen years so I wear all the protective gear and I am taking it very, very, carfully. See the attachment!

 

[Ontario Diver]

Hi Philip;

Hope you and the kids are OK....

My son started diving last year. He is 12 now. I love diving with him and so far have restricted him to 30ft rather than the 40 ft allowed.

As much as we talk about all of the reasons why childern shouldn't dive, I think that we start to ignore some of the reasons why it might be good for them.

I have seen an improvement in his self-confidence, he is happier, and he is very very proud of himself. Part of that is the group that we dive with, everyone likes to tell him how great it is that he is a diver too. (BTW, a lot of these guys are hard-corps tech divers and my son has less than 20 dives. )

(Also; a threat to stop the diving is a great incentive to get the homework done on time )

Keep them (and yourself) safe while diving and Dive on...

and if you are ever in this neck of the woods we'll do a family dive!

 

[Genesis]

are WAY more dangerous than scuba.

Used to own them when I was younger. Not any more... but there are times I do long for it...