Should children aged 2-36 months learn hydrotherapy swimming?

It is known that hydrotherapy is a floating swimming method (usually using a neck float), using the buoyancy of water to massage and stimulate the baby to move gently. However, this is not the only method to help stimulate the baby's development and can easily cause unsafety if not guided and performed by a medical professional or specialist.

Hydrotherapy can be unsafe if not guided and performed by a medical professional or qualified person.

Natural diving reflex in newborns

Explaining the mechanism of hydrotherapy swimming, Master - Doctor Nguyen Trong Tin (Traditional Medicine Pediatric Clinic, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City - Facility 3) said that when born, the baby's body still has the natural swimming reflex.

Although this reflex will be lost due to physical changes as well as environmental impacts, however, for babies from birth to about 6 months old, this mechanism still exists. Understanding this, in some Western countries, they often let children come into contact with water very early.

The Scientific Benefits of Hydrotherapy Swimming

According to Dr. Nguyen Trong Tin, hydrotherapy swimming is currently a method that brings certain benefits to the development and health of children. One of the significant benefits of hydrotherapy swimming is the ability to stimulate swimming reflexes, helping children adapt so that they can easily learn to swim later.

In addition, the water environment in the hydrotherapy pool provides pressure and movement, creating a stimulation for the child's digestive, circulatory and respiratory systems. These areas are stimulated during swimming, facilitating the child's physical development and enhancement.

A safer way to help children grow up comprehensively

Although there are certain benefits, there are also reports of accidents occurring during hydrotherapy swimming, or drowning while learning to swim.

When applied to the reality in Vietnam, Dr. Nguyen Trong Tin recommends that parents should be especially careful, because choosing a reputable place for their children to practice hydrotherapy swimming that is both safe and achieves the desired results is not simple.

Therefore, in addition to hydrotherapy, infants and young children still have other methods to help stimulate physical and sensory development for comprehensive maturity.

"When just born, the human brain continuously learns from the surrounding environment, and the senses are the "gateways" to receive information, including vision, hearing, smell, touch, and taste. Depending on the age of the child, the senses will gradually develop and perfect. Learning through seeing with the eyes, hearing with the ears, smelling the surrounding environment, tasting milk and food, especially touching in different locations will continuously stimulate the child's brain to continuously learn," Dr. Tin explained.

Dr. Tin added: "Parents can help their children develop and learn from a very early age by holding, massaging, playing with their children, holding objects with their children to stimulate their senses, singing to their children, talking to their children to stimulate their hearing, expanding their environmental exposure, helping them see more colors and images, etc. All of the above activities are not only safe and effective in helping children develop well, but also help strengthen the emotional bond between children and parents."

What is the safe age to learn to swim?

Parents should also note that hydrotherapy is just a process for children to be exposed to and familiarized with water, and learning to swim is a further step when children are older.

Information from research by the American Academy of Pediatrics also shows that swimming lessons for children should only begin when they are 4 years old or older.

"In short, swimming is an activity that brings many benefits to the body. Early exposure to water in children will also bring many benefits to their physical and psychological development. However, it is necessary to control the safety of this water exposure process to avoid unfortunate incidents," said Dr. Nguyen Trong Tin.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/co-nen-cho-cac-be-tu-2-36-thang-tuoi-hoc-boi-thuy-lieu-185230715101518631.htm