Minimum age for Scuba Diving

[Ana]

Agencies and instructors may have their opinions based on maturity and/or interviews with the kid in question, however I wonder sometimes about parents.
It used to be kids were in a hurry to do "grown up stuff", now is the parents the ones in a hurry for the kids to do grown up stuff, wonder how long before they miss their kids "being kids".

I may be out of the loop since both my sons are in their late 20's now, but when they were midgets there wasn't any reliable data about the consequences of exposing growing bones to pressure. Just like there wasn't enough data on the consequences of exposing growing fetus in the womb to said pressure so it was generally accepted to tell pregnant women to put their diving on hold until the baby comes out.

I decided that until the midgets had grown tall enough, diving would be out. In our particular case that meant snorkeling, surfing, buggy-boarding, swimming and whenever I wasn't looking try to drown each other. I grew up by the ocean and in turn I raised both kids by the ocean. By the time they were tall and strong they were already like fish in the water so adding gear was no problem, adding the rules about the gear went well also. As far as the maturity I'm still waiting.

I've seen midgets that are more mature than many adults but some have such little bodies, they may be capable to somehow handle their gear but is that enough to decide their body is ready to be exposed to the unknown consequences of the pressure at depth?

I'm looking forward to the "grand-kids" phase. They will learn to dive, but not before they are as strong and tall as their dads were, I have plenty of activities around the water to get them to that stage.

 

[knowone]

Exceptional.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

How young is too young ???

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[gypsyjim]

 

[Akimbo]

Are you talking calendar age or maturity? For some people the age may be 7, others [-]57[/-] never.

 

[boat sju]

Anyone besides me concerned with the potential impact pressure may have on developing bones?

 

[fjpatrum]

Agencies and instructors may have their opinions based on maturity and/or interviews with the kid in question, however I wonder sometimes about parents.
It used to be kids were in a hurry to do "grown up stuff", now is the parents the ones in a hurry for the kids to do grown up stuff, wonder how long before they miss their kids "being kids".

I may be out of the loop since both my sons are in their late 20's now, but when they were midgets there wasn't any reliable data about the consequences of exposing growing bones to pressure. Just like there wasn't enough data on the consequences of exposing growing fetus in the womb to said pressure so it was generally accepted to tell pregnant women to put their diving on hold until the baby comes out.

I decided that until the midgets had grown tall enough, diving would be out. In our particular case that meant snorkeling, surfing, buggy-boarding, swimming and whenever I wasn't looking try to drown each other. I grew up by the ocean and in turn I raised both kids by the ocean. By the time they were tall and strong they were already like fish in the water so adding gear was no problem, adding the rules about the gear went well also. As far as the maturity I'm still waiting.

I've seen midgets that are more mature than many adults but some have such little bodies, they may be capable to somehow handle their gear but is that enough to decide their body is ready to be exposed to the unknown consequences of the pressure at depth?

I'm looking forward to the "grand-kids" phase. They will learn to dive, but not before they are as strong and tall as their dads were, I have plenty of activities around the water to get them to that stage.

Now, I can understand the concept of different gas concentrations affecting a baby, but wouldn't a fetus in utero be surrounded by water anyway, and therefor not feel any pressure change? I'm not advocating pregnant women go diving without educating myself more, but I thought the pressure thing seemed odd.

As for the age thing, I agree with you. Too many parents are pushing their children to do things... I'm possibly one of them (my daughter was rock climbing at 1 year old, as soon as she could walk, really.) though I try not to push and simply allow them to go at their own pace. My daughter is 15 now and though she wants to get a scuba cert her mother and I have not allowed it yet. Maybe next year. My 18 month old son has some time before we have to worry about it.

 

[paddler3d]

I've seen some full on middle aged adults that didn't have any mindset for diving. I think age is a silly gauge on when someone can get certified.

I've meet some 7-8 year olds that are more mature and aware than most 18 year olds.

The issue really then becomes finding small enough gear that will fit!

 

[marcosdutra]

I've meet some 7-8 year olds that are more mature and aware than most 18 year olds.

Put a child 7 years old to dive, is the world's largest insanity. Kids should always be kids and do kids' stuff.

 

[Ana]

As for the age thing, I agree with you. Too many parents are pushing their children to do things... I'm possibly one of them (my daughter was rock climbing at 1 year old, as soon as she could walk, really.) though I try not to push and simply allow them to go at their own pace. My daughter is 15 now and though she wants to get a scuba cert her mother and I have not allowed it yet. Maybe next year. My 18 month old son has some time before we have to worry about it.

As parents we have different ideas for the type and timing of exposure to certain activities for our children.
I'm not familiar with rock climbing but I imagine there are different degrees of difficulty; even if there wasn't, it isn't my place to decide if it's OK.

For my kids I decided that scuba had to wait but felt they needed to be exposed to the ocean right away. Their first splash in salt water was the day after their belly button healed, that was just a few days after birth. Both boys learned to swim in salt water before walking. I'd like to think they had a decent childhood growing at the water's edge. They are healthy now and appear to be reasonably stable young adults.

I couldn't state exactly what age would be reasonable for me, however 7 or 8 sounds way to young, but just like homeschooling (which I don't agree either) it should not be up to anyone but the parents.