3 replies to this topic

[WisconsinGal]

My nephew is fascinated with whales and dolphins, loves the water, and has expressed a desire to experience the underwater world. He's going to be 10 soon. Do you think it's a good idea for him to dive at such a young age? I see they offer junior dive courses for 10+ years.

[Walter]

Marla, excellent question.

My short answer is no. Give him snorkeling lessons instead.

While 3 agencies now allow 10 year olds to get certified, most do not. There are many instructors with those agencies who refuse to teach children that young to dive.

Most children are not emotionally mature enugh to dive until they are considerably older than the minimum age of 12 which most agencies still follow. I will teach 12 year olds to dive, but they have to convince me they are mature enough to dive. Most 12 years olds don't make it to the first class. I also require a parent to either take or audit the class with the child.

There is also the issue of how physical development might be affected by diving. The bottom line is there is not enough evidence to know if diving is safe for developing bones.

I taught my son to dive at age 13. I then restricted him to a 45 feet depth limit and no more than two dive trips a year until after he quit growing.

I think the trend to allow small children to dive is a serious mistake with potential health problems.

Walter

[WisconsinGal]

Thanks for the advice Walter.. I appreciate it

[Diverlady]

One of the guys in my diveclub let his son start diving at 12 but restricts his depth limit to 30ft due to the potential affects on growth.

Diverlady