Child Health: Swimming

The beneficial effects of swimming on the health of newborns and infants became known at the end of 1971 when, at a conference of the FINA Medical Committee, the International Federation of Swimming Amateurs, a group of researchers from the Federal Republic of Germany reported on the results of a three-year training in the swimming of babies. These results were so impressive that over the next two decades the swimming preparation of nursing infants became widespread in the world. It was found that swimming is especially useful for premature and immature children, because it allows these babies to catch up and even surpass in development of their full-term peers faster than usual.

Influence of swimming on the body of newborns and infants is not limited to tempering - in a home bath you can easily adjust the water temperature and, gradually reducing it from occupation to occupation, to increase the resistance of the baby to catarrhal diseases. Although the absence of diseases in itself means a lot, because any pathology at an early age inevitably leads to a delay in the development of the child, the benefits of swimming are primarily associated with the specific properties of the aquatic environment.

Developing in the mother's body, the baby is in the amniotic fluid. The influence of gravitational forces on it is significantly weakened. The appearance of a child in the world is comparable only with the return to the Earth of astronauts who lived for a long time in conditions of weightlessness. As on them, the force of gravity falls on the newborn - she literally rivets him to the bed. He is awkward and difficult to move about his heavy head, which, like the anchor, is the center of his movement. In water the child is 7-8 times lighter than in the air, he again feels free, the load on his skeletal muscles disappears; the baby gets the opportunity to freely move his arms and legs, which means he will soon learn to manage them, which is necessary for an active acquaintance with the world around him. First of all, therefore, "floating" newborns outstrip the "non-floating" in their development.

But this beneficial effect of the aquatic environment on the child is not exhausted. In water, the baby experiences a fairly strong, but even pressure on the surface of the body. This stimulates the peripheral circulation, and, accordingly, facilitates the work of the heart. In addition, the increased pressure on the chest as compared to the air conducive to a deeper exhalation, and consequently, a deeper inspiration. This ensures good ventilation of the entire surface of the lung tissue. In the lungs, there is not a single corner that does not fill with air. Being in bed, the child breathes superficially, while only a small part of the lungs work actively, only it is purified by air. In the passive parts, the air stagnates, their tissue is seeded with microorganisms suspended in the air, among which there are pathogens. In non-ventilated areas of the lungs, conditions are created for the development of such microbes, and hence for the occurrence of diseases of the respiratory system. When swimming, due to deep breathing, pathogenic microorganisms are removed from the lungs. In addition, since the entire surface of the lung tissue works, blood, all organs and tissues of the child receive more oxygen, metabolic processes take place more intensively in his body. We should not forget about the massaging effect of water on the child's body - this has a beneficial effect on his peripheral nervous system. Repeated exercises in water have the same value as hygienic gymnastics: they train and strengthen the cardiovascular, respiratory and digestive systems, the motor apparatus of the child. And, of course, early swimming instruction teaches the baby not to be afraid of water, which in the future will help to save him from accidents on the river, the sea, the lake.

You can start swimming with a child from two to three weeks old after consulting a pediatrician. Children who are engaged in swimming are less likely to get sick. When swimming, two obligatory conditions must be observed: the sequence of the child performing various exercises and changing the conditions for their conduct; gradual increase in physical activity (increase in the number of exercises per class, rapid alternation) and complication of the situation (depth, water temperature). Some parents in the training of the baby swimming try to force events - so they want to quickly see their baby a real swimmer. Most often, this hastiness is hampered by parental vanity, and the only "achievement" with this method of training is the fear of water and the aversion to swimming that the child can have for life.

The goal of swimming with a newborn and a baby is not to bring up a swimmer-record holder, but to strengthen the child's health, its harmonious and rapid development. In the first year of life, your baby should learn to stay on the water for half an hour, dive to a shallow depth and get various items from the bottom of the pool, swim under water for 7-8 seconds, jump into the water in light clothes (in shorts, socks, sandals) and stay on the water for 2-3 minutes.

In order to achieve these goals, it is necessary to conduct such exercises so that the child experiences joy and pleasure from being in the water, an interest in the tasks of an adult. Swimming should cause the baby positive emotions. When teaching a child, you need to be careful: avoid sudden movements, actions that are unexpected for him. With the baby you need to affectionately speak, encourage and encourage him. And never show discontent, irritation and frustration due to the fact that he does not immediately master this or that exercise. Carefully follow the child's state and behavior - hypothermia, overheating, overwork can cause him to distrust the water. The cause for fear can be a strong irritation of the mucous membrane of the eyes and painful sensations, if the water is chlorinated or soap gets into it. At hand, an adult who conducts classes should always have a water thermometer. Usually the water temperature is measured at least two times during the session. At the first signs of fatigue (lethargy, capriciousness) or hypothermia (chills, goosebumps, cyanotic shade of lips), the activity should be stopped immediately.

If these signs appear the next day, it's better to take a break for two or three days.

Before each swimming lesson, an adult, if he is in the bath with the child (this is necessary in the first period of training), thoroughly washed with soap, washes and disinfects the bath and toys that will be used during the session, airs the bathroom.

Lessons are better spent at the same time, preferably in the second half of the day, 1.5-2 hours before the evening feeding and not earlier than 1.5 hours after the previous meal. It is necessary that the entire training course is conducted by one person.

After swimming, the child is usually somewhat aroused, so he needs to create conditions for proper rest.

[1], [2], [3], [4], [5]