Swim moms, a question for you....

[mommyoffive]

Do any of you have a kid in swimming (class or team) that is always freezing?  I have had one kid who is and I am wondering if getting a half wet suit, a top would help said kid.

 

Even on a summer day this kid is shivering and blue lipped. 

Has anyone come across this?

What did you do?

 

Would a wet suit help?  i haven't ever worn one.

[bettyandbob]

Wet suits definitely help. In the winter I wear one when I teach. When it's warmer, but still not hot wearing a rash guard can help too. For a child who us obviously cold go with a wetsuit.

 

If child progresses to team he W I by be able wear the wetsuit for competition. Some little guys do wear them during practice.

[MysteryJen]

When my kids were really little and learning to swim, we used a cap made by blue seventy that was like a wet suit for their head. It helped a ton. Once they could really swim and were on a team, they moved to a regular cap and swam fast to keep warm.

[mommyoffive]

Wet suits definitely help. In the winter I wear one when I teach. When it's warmer, but still not hot wearing a rash guard can help too. For a child who us obviously cold go with a wetsuit.

 

If child progresses to team he W I by be able wear the wetsuit for competition. Some little guys do wear them during practice.

 

I don't understand your last part.  You can't wear them for competition?   

 

What kind of wet suit, style wise, would you recommend for practice?  This kid is on a team.  I haven't ever worn a wet suit.  Would a full arm on we hard to swim strokes in?  Would a vest one be better?  

[mommyoffive]

When my kids were really little and learning to swim, we used a cap made by blue seventy that was like a wet suit for their head. It helped a ton. Once they could really swim and were on a team, they moved to a regular cap and swam fast to keep warm.

 

hmmmm

 

There is an idea.  Never thought of that.  Thank you.  And cheaper too.

 

off to look

[bettyandbob]

You need to check with your league. Many summer rec leagues follow USA swimming rules. Wetsuits aren't permitted, in part because wetsuits make the swimmer more buoyant.

 

It is less of an issue at meets than practice because a race is 25 M or 50 M. Then they get out of the water and can wrap up in a towel until the next race. In practice the kids will be in the water for an hour and some little guys have trouble with that even when continuing to move.

 

If you get a wetsuit, I'd go with short sleeve or sleeveless.

[MysteryJen]

The teams we have been on (Rec, summer, USA teams) have really discouraged using wet suits. They really make kids buoyant and can mess with strokes. When kids got cold, they popped out for a little while.

[SounderChick]

We had issues last week because it was unusually cold.  The first day younger DD wore a shorty wetsuit and still froze we didn't want to buy anything since we knew the weather would heat back up.  

 

So we put her suit, towels, and lycra swim cap in the dryer in each morning so she put on a warm suit, a warm cap and than put a silicone cap over that it helped a lot.  We put the towels in cooler bag so they would still be warm when she got out so we could warm her up quicker.  

 

For meets she wears a regular suit with a rash guard and both girls dry off with towels than wrap in giant robes, socks and hats depending on the weather.

[cera2]

I have one who used to be like that.  Turned out she had a vitamin deficiency that was contributing to her feeling cold all the time. 

[PeterPan]

3/2mm Toddler's & Junior's Rip Curl DAWN PATROL Fullsuit

 

When my ds was in classes (not team), that's the wetsuit he wore.  With that AND a neoprene swim cap, he could swim and not turn blue.  Now that he's on team and swimming faster, well...  It was better, then summer activities picked up.  I think he has lost a little weight.  I feed the boy, honest!  He has just slimmed down a little, and now he's back to being cold even on team.  He's swimming in jammers for team, and he's just really cold.  Wetsuit Wearhouse does sell partials.  Thing is, holding neoprene on your body while you swim that hard is just going to make you sweat.  A diving (scuba) instructor watched my ds, and apparently my ds is basically neutrally boyant with the full wetsuit.  Without a wetsuit, he's actually NEGATIVELY boyant, if you can imagine.  So he was working harder than everyone else to do the same thing!  

 

When I tried to research this, I found articles with suggestions, some easier than others.

 

-swim diet (more fuel, keep their core temp up and help them recover over the week with swimming multiple times)

-warm showers before

-exercise before to warm up (play outside!)

 

I don't remember the other ideas, but you could google and find them.  Basically I try to feed him something sturdy ahead and get him as warm as possible before he goes in.  (warm car, wear sweatpants and a sweatshirt, play outside and not in the A/C)  A little extra weight could make a big difference.  I haven't weighed him, but I think the 1-2 lb my ds may have lost may explain why he's cold again.  And, really, he was better with just a couple kids and less waiting.  In the team setting the levels are too mixed and you still spend time waiting and shivering.  If you can find a class with less waiting, that would help.  It's something I'm really frustrated about, because they allow in kids of widely ranging levels and don't have enough kids right now to differentiate things out and keep them moving.  So you've got more mature swimmers waiting around for kids who are about drowning on a backstroke.  So he sits on the side and shivers.  

Edited June 24, 2016 by OhElizabeth

[mommyoffive]

I have one who used to be like that.  Turned out she had a vitamin deficiency that was contributing to her feeling cold all the time. 

 

Ohh

I hadn't thought of that.  what vitamin?

 

 

Thank you ladies for the ideas.   I am going to try them.  This kid isn't a little, but the level they are on is swim a length and wait a bit.  repeat.  It is indoor swimming and even with the 85 degrees outside the kid is shivering all the time.  

 

This kid has no body fat whatsoever and I know that probably doesn't help.  That is just their body though, besides eating more than I do. 

Edited June 24, 2016 by mommyoffive

[mommyoffive]

We had issues last week because it was unusually cold.  The first day younger DD wore a shorty wetsuit and still froze we didn't want to buy anything since we knew the weather would heat back up.  

 

So we put her suit, towels, and lycra swim cap in the dryer in each morning so she put on a warm suit, a warm cap and than put a silicone cap over that it helped a lot.  We put the towels in cooler bag so they would still be warm when she got out so we could warm her up quicker.  

 

For meets she wears a regular suit with a rash guard and both girls dry off with towels than wrap in giant robes, socks and hats depending on the weather.

 

 

So smart about the towels in the cooler bag.  How long did they stay warm??  I am wondering if I could do that.

[SounderChick]

So smart about the towels in the cooler bag.  How long did they stay warm??  I am wondering if I could do that.

 

Ours were still warm after about 90 minutes.

[ktgrok]

My son wears this and it helps, but he's not on a team. https://www.amazon.com/Hyperflex-Wetsuits-Childrens-Access-Spring/dp/B000UGSTMA/ref=sr_1_26?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1466860949&sr=1-26-spons&keywords=kid%27s+shortie+wetsuit&psc=1

[mommyoffive]

Ours were still warm after about 90 minutes.

 

Wow.

I will give that a try next week.

 

We had a bit of success last night.   We tried dressing in pants and sweaters (even though it was 80 degrees) no air on the trip over or right before.

Putting the cap on and doing the running in the sweater and pants and cap.