How cold is too cold to let your child go swimming? - Page 2

[SkyMomma]

Originally Posted by Storm Bride

I read the rest of the thread.

It's not unhealthy to swim in cool/cold water when the air is also cool/cold. The concern is if the swimmer lowers his/her body temperature.

Yes this...

Just wanted to add a note about my DS1's experience, & to pass along the info that there are some dangers (of course, depends on the child), --

My DS1 loves to swim, would stay in the water all day, BUT he has about zero body fat & catches a chill in even very warm water if he's in too long. He gets the "stumbly mumbly grumbly" signs of pre-hypothermia where he gets so shivery that he can't move to put on his warm layers. He has also had accute attacks of hives, due too cold, which can become anaphylactic - ie lifethreatening.

I do use 'subjective' tests (he needs to be able say "mama" without teeth chattering, no blueness, etc.) to determine when he should be out of the water. The variants of water & air temp, as well as his activity level, are too inconsistant for me to rely on a predetermined amount of time. I almost always let him go in (& am often right there with him -- water lovers all here!), I just have him come out frequently to warm up & refuel.

I know the OP resolved her situation, but I wanted to post my sons experience for general info.

[babydanielsmom]

Well, I have to disagree. I wouldn't let her swim. Maybe it's because I'm from the south but that just seems way to chilly to go in the pool

[lifeguard]

Originally Posted by SkyMomma

He has also had accute attacks of hives, due too cold, which can become anaphylactic - ie lifethreatening.

This is not a normal risk for most children, it is a condition called cold urticaria (I have it myself).

[loraxc]

I'm interested in this question also. I let my DD swim this summer in a lake when it was about 70, and my MIL practically died of horror. DD was a little cold and shivery and teeth-chattery, but I can remember feeling this way many times when swimming as a kid and obviously it never hurt me any. I tend to err on the side of letting them go in, figuring kids can self-regulate and will get out if miserable, but I do wonder at what point you have to worry about hypothermia and if it would be really obvious.