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Infant Swim Therapy Benefits And Risks

By: Kathy Allen

There are potential benefits as well as risks to infant swim therapy. Many parents have heard of various types of therapy that may be able to help develop motor skills or even teach life saving water skills to their babies that are barely 6 months old. Without a doubt there are many infant swim therapy programs that are doing a world of good for parents and babies alike. There are others that are promoting life threatening principles. Choosing wisely is imperative.
Infant swim therapy can be a great way to help a baby learn to soothe and calm himself. Yet it can not be considered to be a replacement for parental guidance and direct, constant supervision around water. It is not a license to take your child into the middle of the bay without the appropriate safety precautions. Drowning prevention is just as much about circumstance as it is about knowledge, which is why adults who can swim very well still end up in life threatening peril.
Outside of using this therapy as a method for leaving your baby in the tub alone, there are some very great and wonderful aspects to infant swim therapy that should be noted. Any child can benefit from one on one time with a parent. Additionally, children with specific disorders or disabilities have been shown to have experienced a great leap through this type of swimming.
Babies that suffer from tactile sensitivity can especially find benefit in this type of swimming program for infants. Those with cerebral palsy and other devastating disabilities can find the freedom to move their limbs and develop muscles that they can't on land. These types of infant swim therapies are wonderful and promote bonding and responsibility.
Is it possible for your baby to learn how to swim through this type of therapy? Yes, some babies can learn how to swim and swim well. Yet not all babies will be able to figure out to hold their breath or how to move their arms and legs in the appropriate motions for movement through the water. Some babies are simply more comfortable in the water than others and some will respond by learning how to swim.
There are some babies that seem to have a natural inclination for swimming. These babies can show significant signs of swimming potential even in their first few months. This is not to be confused with the ability to reason through cognitive understanding. Children as old as ten and twelve have been found to have difficulty understanding the dangers of a rip current or what to do if they hit their head on the side of the pool.
You can help your child develop motor skills, find a new level of parental bonding, and help them learn how to be comfortable with the water through infant swim therapy. Babies with certain illnesses can find this time to be pain free and comforting. The freedom of movement under water can help many babies deal with limbs that don't function adequately.
It is still important that you remember that babies are not toilet trained and that their inner ears and bones are still forming. Ear infections and even the potential for hearing loss can complicate the benefits of this type of therapy. Make sure you speak with your baby's physician before beginning a new therapeutic swim program.

Article Source: http://articlehotline.com/articles

Want to find out more about infant swim therapy, then visit Water Way Babies on for more information and equipment.

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