disabled swimmer

our 19 yr old daughter has a very severe learning disability and is also physically disabled. she used to really enjoy going swimming but over the past few years has found the water too cold even in the learner pool and we don't have access to a warmer hydro pool. instead of swimming around to warm up she just gets colder. we were thinking of some kind of swimming wet suit but didn't know what would be best - might the Chillcheater womens vest (aquatherm fabric) be a good idea to try to start? what else might be worht trying? if this isn't the right web site is there a more suitable one?
Many thanks.

 

"Nancy U" wrote:

>> if this isn't the right web site is there a more suitable one?

Maybe rec.sport.swimming or uk.sport.swimming may help as well?

HTH

--
Kev

 

Nancy U wrote:

> our 19 yr old daughter has a very severe learning disability and is also
> physically disabled. she used to really enjoy going swimming but over
> the past few years has found the water too cold even in the learner
> pool and we don't have access to a warmer hydro pool. instead of
> swimming around to warm up she just gets colder. we were thinking of
> some kind of swimming wet suit but didn't know what would be best -
> might the Chillcheater womens vest (aquatherm fabric) be a good idea to
> try to start? what else might be worht trying? if this isn't the right
> web site is there a more suitable one?

This isn't even a web site, let alone an unsuitable one. I guess you're
reading this on some site that pulls in the Usenet group to make it look
like they have an active community.

Try a surf or diving shop - you might find a drysuit (like a waterproof
wetsuit for cold water diving) might help her.

--
Mark.

 

Nancy U wrote:
> our 19 yr old daughter has a very severe learning disability and is also
> physically disabled. she used to really enjoy going swimming but over
> the past few years has found the water too cold even in the learner
> pool and we don't have access to a warmer hydro pool. instead of
> swimming around to warm up she just gets colder. we were thinking of
> some kind of swimming wet suit but didn't know what would be best -
> might the Chillcheater womens vest (aquatherm fabric) be a good idea to
> try to start? what else might be worht trying? if this isn't the right
> web site is there a more suitable one?
> Many thanks.
>
>

Try a thin diving or surfing wetsuit - they come in shorties or full
length, one or two piece and a range of thicknesses from 1 to 9mm for
varying water temperatures. I would try a 2 or 3mm thick shortie You
are cold for just a few seconds on entering the water but then the water
layer next to the skin warms up and keeps you toasty. Should be
available from the local diving or surf shop of which there are quite a
few dotted around the country. It will also add a little buoyancy.

Tony

 

In message <[email protected]>, Mark Tranchant
<[email protected]> writes
>Nancy U wrote:
>
>> our 19 yr old daughter has a very severe learning disability and is also
>> physically disabled. she used to really enjoy going swimming but over
>> the past few years has found the water too cold even in the learner
>> pool and we don't have access to a warmer hydro pool. instead of
>> swimming around to warm up she just gets colder. we were thinking of
>> some kind of swimming wet suit but didn't know what would be best -
>> might the Chillcheater womens vest (aquatherm fabric) be a good idea to
>> try to start? what else might be worht trying? if this isn't the right
>> web site is there a more suitable one?
>
>This isn't even a web site,


>let alone an unsuitable one. I guess you're reading this on some site that
>pulls in the Usenet group to make it look like they have an active
>community.
>
Nancy U <[email protected]> writes
)

Nancy - you have posted this to something called a newsgroup, though as
you did it via the Cyclingforums website you may well not have been
aware of this. This is a cycling group, as are the other groups on
Cyclingforums I would guess.

You don't need to use the web to access newsgroups, Outlook express will
do it, but if you can't get your head round that, you can use Google
Groups to access other groups

some one has already suggested rec.sport.swimming or uk.sport.swimming.

<http://groups.google.co.uk/.
--
Chris French, Leeds

 

The Chillcheaters are good <http://www.chillcheater.com/products/shop.asp?
cid=336> but they do rely, like most similar gear, on the wearer generating
some heat themselves by moving around. Lots of canoeists swear by them,
even in the dead of a Scottish winter, but they are generally paddling hard
to keep warm. If your daughter isn't very active then most things she could
wear will just slow down the cooling process a little, not stop them.

Graeme

 

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
>
> our 19 yr old daughter has a very severe learning disability and is also
> physically disabled. she used to really enjoy going swimming but over
> the past few years has found the water too cold even in the learner
> pool and we don't have access to a warmer hydro pool. instead of
> swimming around to warm up she just gets colder. we were thinking of
> some kind of swimming wet suit but didn't know what would be best -
> might the Chillcheater womens vest (aquatherm fabric) be a good idea to
> try to start? what else might be worht trying? if this isn't the right
> web site is there a more suitable one?
> Many thanks.

The only thing to watch would be to make sure that your local pool will
let you use a wetsuit of any sort. It may seem surprising but the
Commonwealth kicked up an enormous fuss when my mate was wanting to use
his wetsuit when doing free-diving training. (Perversely he could use it
when they had a lane booked, but not during normal swimming... a
rational explanation was never provided.)

Jon

 

"Nancy U" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]
>
> our 19 yr old daughter has a very severe learning disability and is also
> physically disabled. she used to really enjoy going swimming but over
> the past few years has found the water too cold even in the learner
> pool and we don't have access to a warmer hydro pool. instead of
> swimming around to warm up she just gets colder. we were thinking of
> some kind of swimming wet suit but didn't know what would be best -
> might the Chillcheater womens vest (aquatherm fabric) be a good idea to
> try to start? what else might be worht trying? if this isn't the right
> web site is there a more suitable one?

Could try a Neil Pryde Heatseeker vest. These are thin neoprene vests, long
or short sleeved, designed to be worn under a wetsuit when it's extremely
coldbut can also be worn alone.
http://www.roho.co.uk/acatalog/Robin_Hood_WS_Rash_Vests_182.html
Similar products are available from: http://www.spartan.uk.com/frmain.htm

Regards,
Pete

 

Nancy,

A wetsuit would keep your daughter warmer, but they are quite difficult to
wriggle into and feel quite tight initially. I would expect it would be
very difficult to put a wetsuit on to someone else. You mention severe
learning disability as well as physical disability, so this might be a big
factor in your choice.

Other posts here have made some good suggestions. You might also like to
look for some "wetsuit" shorts (either in a surfing shop or a triathlon
shop).

There are diffierences between surfing and swimming wetsuits.....surfing
ones are thicker and less flexible. Not too much of a problem if your
daughter likes to potter around in the water, but would be annoying for her
if she actively swims.

Best of luck, Helen

"Nancy U" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]
>
> our 19 yr old daughter has a very severe learning disability and is also
> physically disabled.

> we were thinking of
> some kind of swimming wet suit but didn't know what would be best -
> might the Chillcheater womens vest (aquatherm fabric) be a good idea to
> try to start? what else might be worht trying? if this isn't the right
> web site is there a more suitable one?
> Many thanks.
>