If you’ve paid for swimming lessons, keeping your child out for a lesson due to a cold is sometimes a tough call. You know your child best, and if he or she should be bundled up in bed with a bowl of chicken soup – you’re the expert! However, we can offer a few pointers if you end up ‘on the fence’ about whether or not to bring your little one to class.
If your child’s symptoms only include a cough or some mild congestion, it’s not always necessary to skip a class. If your child is feeling alright, even though he or she is presenting some slight indicators of a chest cold, it’s worth it to consider coming to your lesson. We’ll discuss in a moment what to do if your child has a fever or more contagious symptoms, but in the case of congestion, think of these benefits to swimming (especially indoors):
- Being in a warm, moist environment can loosen up stubborn congestion and aid with breathing…almost like a humidifier. A more productive cough could result from spending that half hour in the pool area.
- If your child is feeling well enough to participate in activities and he or she does not have a fever, chances are they’re good to go! Moving around and performing physical activity is a good way to get all the systems in the body going, which will help move that congestion out of the way.
- Attending your lessons as regularly as possible is always encouraged. Of course there will be illnesses, appointments or other events that prevent you from coming to a class or two, but be careful not to ‘take the easy route’ and just decide not to come because your son or daughter has a mild cough. Consistency with swim lessons is crucial.
With those points also come some precautions. Like we mentioned before, if your child has a fever or a more contagious symptom, that’s a different story. While a low-grade fever is not always indicative of a major illness, anything at or above 101 degrees should be closely monitored, and your child should not participate in swimming or other group activities where an illness could spread. Other symptoms like a runny nose, vomiting or diarrhea call for a break from swim lessons and some T.L.C. at home. Sometimes the best medicine for the ‘bugs’ children contract is extra rest, which means playing, being outdoors, and certainly activities like swimming should be put on hold. If a child is excessively sleepy, irritable or not ‘being him/herself’, it’s also probably a good idea to sit out a lesson until things return to normal.
We always want what’s best for your child, and again, you’re the expert. Hopefully this information can help when you’re just not sure. While Waterworks On Wheels does not offer specific make-up days each month, we will do our best to accommodate clients on a case-by-case basis. If a major illness arises, you can always transfer your credit to a later swim lesson session. Keep up the good work and we’ll see you in the pool!
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