Corrected age and swimming lessons

[Marie]

My boys were born 9 weeks premature, which means that their corrected age is
about 2 months less than their absolute age.

I'm looking at enrolling us in a waterbabies program that Parks&Rec runs:
where babies are introduced to the swimming pool. Babies have to be 6mos at
the time the course starts, which means the boys will be of age either in
November or in January, depending on which age I use.

I want to enroll as soon as possible, but I want to know the boys will be
ready and safe. What things do you think, developmentally, would be
necessary prerequisites for the boys to be introduced to the water? How
strictly should I adhere to corrected age and when should I use the absolute
age(for example: their neck and head control was *much* better than a 1mos'
when they were 1 mo corrected).

TIA for the advice.

Marie
Chris & Alex--born 04/23/03 at 31 wks gestational

[KimandJuan]

I think you could start them at their actual age. I stated Alexis in the 6 MO
water babies class and she was only 5 months so I don't think for that activity
in particular, 1-2 months makes much difference. Try it at least and see if
you and they are comfortable with everything that goes on. Make sure that you
have another adult helping you, possibly even a third. My husband and I both
got in the water with Alexis so that she could "swim" between us. From one
adult to the other. So it might help if you had three adults to the two
babies.

Good luck and have fun!

~Kimberly
Mommy to Alexis Iliana 07/17/99 and
Emma Elidia & Aislyn Gabriela 10/01/02
come see us...
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/a/aislynemma/

[Shirley M...have a goodaa \\;-\)]

I was going to write something similar Helen, but didn't have the actual
articles. As a past life guard and a water safety instructor (swim
teacher), we learned about not doing babies in the 80's. We too thought for
a while that early was great until there were some complications written
about in medical journals and we stopped the program. We started up a
program of babies 1 year and older and they seemed to take to the water just
fine.

Shirley

"H Schinske" > wrote in message
...
> Marie ) wrote:
>
> >I want to enroll as soon as possible, but I want to know the boys will be
> >ready and safe. What things do you think, developmentally, would be
> >necessary prerequisites for the boys to be introduced to the water?
>
> Here is a sample protocol for a course like this, which states, among much
> else,
>
> "The risk of taking very young children into water is a matter of concern
to
> the American Academy of Paediatricians (AAP). The AAP warns against
infants
> under six months of age being taken to public pools because of their
immature
> immune system. Though older infants may be better equipped to cope with
normal
> waterborne germs, they are never the less at risk to the spread of
communicable
> diseases. This is especially of concern in countries where standards of
hygiene
> and water purity are generally non existent or poorly enforced." [though
since
> the AAP is a US outfit, they are obviously concerned about pools in the
US,
> too]
>
> http://www.aquatots-swimprogram.com/aquatotsquestions.htm
>
> I also found an abstract for a study that shows bradycardic responses
(heart
> slowing way down) occur when young infants are submerged, and that while
this
> response has been said to go away by six months, they found it persisting
past
> six months in some cases. I don't know whether the course you were
considering
> involves taking the babies underwater anyway.
>
> Since the state of things like their immune systems and their heart
development
> is not something you can readily test, I'd be inclined to take the later
date.
> If you take the earlier date, I would be really extra extra vigilant about
all
> the safety precautions such as making sure they do not swallow too much
water,
> and making sure they do not get hypothermic (both of which can happen more
> easily in smaller babies).
>
> --Helen