How young is too young?

[Amphiprion]

Hi everyone.

I've been getting my daughter interested in diving since before she could walk with trips to the scuba store and the aquarium. Currently she is taking swimming lessons and is doing quite well. She already uses goggles and I have taken her about 8 feet deep while swimming - when we surfaced she wanted to do it again.

While I am planning on teaching her snorkeling in a year, does anyone see a problem with her using a regulator (ON THE SURFACE WITH NO POSSIBILITY OF GOING BELOW)? I am thinking of either in the pool or on a shallow snorkeling trip where she is wearing a life jacket, either goggles or a mask and fins. She could breathe off of my long hose and I WOULD BE ON THE SURFACE WITH HER.

The gas would be air and I am considering having her attached to me via a jon line or something so that the regulator would not be pulled from her mouth.

I don't forsee any problems with barotrauma doing this, and it seems like there might be an advantage as I would not have to worry about water in the snorkel issues.

I fully admit to being overly enthusiastic, so if someone can point out why this would be dangerous or make me a bad parent, please do so.

Please note however - if someone brings up oxtox, DCS, HPNS, or issues with isobaric counterdiffusion, please provide me with travel arrangements so I can travel to your place and slap you.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Perhaps I missed it, but I don't see any mention of your daughter's age.

There's a big difference between how a 6 year old processes information vs an 8 year old vs a 10 year old, etc.

The main thing is she should be old enough to understand "be careful and do what I told you, or you could hurt yourself". At shallow depths, the biggest concerns would be potentially freaking out and spitting a reg out of her mouth ... that can cause drowning at any depth ... even at the surface if she doesn't take her face out of the water first.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[ucfdiver]

I started when I was 12. I'm 23 now and dive about 3-5 times a week. I think as long as you keep the dives in a controlled environment and eliminate as many dangers as you can, that it's OK. Just remember that a diver this young is a liability which you're babysitting rather than a true buddy.

 

[Crush]

[Edited because of errors in my knowledge. See post http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/5607991-post8.html for what appears to be better information.]

...the effect of microbubbles on growth plates is not well understood in humans, but sheep models have indicated that this could be problematic.

Why not start your kids off in a bath tub where they can't go deep, or in water where they can stand? Kids can take a foolproof setup and trip it up. I would be worried about hose entanglement, etc..

 

[tkdgodess]

How old is she? If she's old enough to swim with the reg in her mouth, why not teach her to snorkel now? I've done bubblemaker/dsd with kids quite abit. The younger siblings (around 5-6) who can't dive sure pick up snorkelling really fast. I recently did adventure dives with an 11 year old. She is quite mature, but I have to say equipment things on the surface are my biggest issue, underwater kids have always done what I briefed them to do.

I would get one of those flat floaty foam mats or a pool noodle and teach her to snorkel on the surface while I was on snorkel. A great snorkeller/skin diver makes an even better diver imo.

I'm a mom of 2 little ones this is what I would do. Not scuba first.

 

[Amphiprion]

This would be more about letting her experience the joy of looking at things underwater while being able to breathe. I fully intend on this being a babysitting experience. I would be watching for any spit out of a regulator or any other stress signs.

I found her wearing my mask the other day and she told me she was a scuba diver. I'm pretty sure she might be into this.

 

[tkdgodess]

It wouldn't make you a bad parent. You are just curious. Get her a scuba mask with her nose enclosed because even going underwater a little bit with swim googles on sqeezes the eye socket. That would be mean.

 

[fjpatrum]

This is not what you asked, but: I am not aware of any agency that will train you to dive if you are not at least 12 years old. A 12-year-old diver will have their depth limited to (I believe) 30 feet because the effect of microbubbles on growth plates is not well understood in humans, but sheep models have indicated that this could be problematic.

Why not start your kids off in a bath tub where they can't go deep, or in water where they can stand? Kids can take a foolproof setup and trip it up. I would be worried about hose entanglement, etc..

For clarification, PADI does "bubblemakers" and "seal team" down to 6 feet in a pool for children of 8 years old, accompanied by an adult. For children 10-11 years of age they have "junior open water" which limits them to 40 feet and diving with a dive pro or parent and ages 13-14 have "junior open water" for depths to 40 feet diving with a certified adult.
Kids Junior Scuba Diving Open Water, Rescue and Master Diver Courses - PADI Scuba Diving Training Organization

To answer the OP's question: too young is a variable answer. I've seen 25 year olds who couldn't handle SCUBA and 12 year olds who can. If your daughter will heed what you tell her, or better yet, a pro tells her, then she's probably reasonably safe. I've swam with a 5 year old in a pool breathing off my reg at the surface with his parents there. Good idea? The kid had fun, there was no chance of barotrauma or anything similar and there was a non-diving adult right there the whole time should the child spit out the reg and need help. For us, it was good... for others it might not be.

 

[cloudflint]

Another thing to watch out for with kids and young teens diving is that they have a much higher chance having a PFO (Patent foramen ovale) which can increase the chances of getting a bend. I believe BSAC, ScotSAC and SAA just got together and agreed on a depth limit for divers under 14 and under 16 because of this. I cant recall exactly but i think it was something like 20 meters for a 14-16 year old and 15 meters for an under 14 year old.

Now i know you listed DCS as a slapping offence but it can cause an embolism too so maybe a half slap? I would offer to make travel arrangements but im afraid all the public transport is grounded with the snow for now Obviously if you are just on the surface this wouldn't be a problem.

On a side note im certain i saw something recently where a bunch of instructors took some young kids in a really shallow pool and had them wearing pony bottles on harnesses with just a single 2nd stage coming off and took them in 1 to 1.

 

[tddfleming]

This is not what you asked, but: I am not aware of any agency that will train you to dive if you are not at least 12 years old. A 12-year-old diver will have their depth limited to (I believe) 30 feet because the effect of microbubbles on growth plates is not well understood in humans, but sheep models have indicated that this could be problematic.

Why not start your kids off in a bath tub where they can't go deep, or in water where they can stand? Kids can take a foolproof setup and trip it up. I would be worried about hose entanglement, etc..

Padi=Jr OW up to 40 ft; Jr AOW=up to 75 feet. I really try to stick to these guidelines. I think my kid wishes I did not, but I don't want the scuba police to get us