Interview with WABC Leader

Steve Graves, Past President of the World Aquatic Babies Congress (WABC) and founder / former Director of the National Swim School Association is reviving the 13 year old WABC organization. Graves who served as WABC President 2000-2003 under WABC Founder and Chairman Virginia Hunt Newman is picking up where WABC left off when Newman, now 86, went into assisted care several years ago and WABC lay dormant in late 2003.

Newman who now resides near Chicago and her son and his family has given her blessing to the reorganization and is pleased that Graves is continuing her vision for a world wide connecting organization related to teaching babies and young children to swim according to son Ed Newman.

Graves has begun to refresh WABC first by keeping the acronym but expanding the focus renaming the effort World Aquatic Babies & Children. There has been a world conference every other year since 1990, but there has not been  an expressed desire by anyone to create or maintain an educational / informational organization between conferences since 2003 Graves said.  “There is interest in teaching techniques and program design which is broadened as people
increasing participate in a world community in our daily lives … hence an opportunity for
      Steve Graves     WABC to be of service by providing a connection” he said. “Aquatic program leaders want to connect and learn from others but don’t have time to develop and maintain a connecting organization” he stated.

Graves has experience in creating and running organizations.  He started a national association for swimming school owners (National Swim School Association) in 1988 and lead that until 2001 (since renamed United States Swim School Association). For 9 years he directed a 3-county chapter of the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (Florida West Coast Chapter) in addition to the earlier leadership stretch for WABC. For 4 years he published a newsletter and organized an annual conference for the Club Pool Association - a group of summer recreational swim club owners in the northeast and mid-Atlantic areas of the United States. _________

SwimBabes^tm Gathers Leaders to Portland by Jackie Young

Nearly 50 persons participated in the October 27-30, 2006 Jackie Young / SwimBabes event in Portland, Oregon (in the Northwest corner of the United States).  It was a special gathering of leaders in baby swimming that included Virginia Hunt Newman, founder of WABC. The event began by honoring Virginia for her career in teaching swimming and for establishing WABC.  Long time friend John Spannuth, CEO of United States Water Fitness, told relayed numerous anecdotes associated with Virginia's accomplishments.  Jackie's son Ty ran a very interesting DVD that he'd prepared covering Virginia's career.

Afterward, the 3-day event went on to fulfill two purposes. Thoughts about future development of the WABC organization were shared by leaders from past WABC events - six of whom then gave educational presentations to the audience which also included some relatively new to baby swimming. 

There were social times as well - opening reception the night prior to the start, lunches together as a group, and evening meals out to a restaurant one night and a dinner cruise on the river running from downtown Portland out to Lake Oswego.

(move your mouse cursor over the photos details                                            . . . more
 

What the YMCA-USA says to American Pediatricians
regarding Swimming Programs for Infants & Toddlers

by Ken Gladish

regarding the current the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy statement 


Link to Ken Gladish's Letter to the Editor of Pediatrics magazine, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics...and the magazine's reply to his letter written by from two leading member pediatricians.

by Ken Gladish, PhD
(then) National Executive Director (now former Director)
YMCA of the USA
Chicago, IL 60606, USA

Fecal Accident Response
        Recommendations for Aquatics Staff by

Printer Friendly Version of this article Adobe Acrobat Reader (280 KB)
 

What do you do when you find poop in the pool?   Check for existing guidelines from your local or state regulatory agency before use. Healthy Swimming recommendations do not replace existing state or local regulations or guidelines. These recommendations are for responding to fecal accidents in chlorinated recreational water venues. Improper handling of chlorine-based disinfectants could cause injury. Follow proper occupational safety and health requirements when following these recommendations. Important Background Info WHAT ARE RECREATIONAL WATER ILLNESSES (RWIs)? What is the first thing that pops into your head when you think about water safety? Drowning? Slipping? Lightning? All good answers, and all are very important. But, did you know that germs can contaminate swimming water? These germs cause RWIs that have made many people sick. RWIs are caused by waterborne germs such as ?Crypto? (KRIP-toe), short for Cryptosporidium, Giardia (gee-ARE-dee-uh), E. coli O157:H7, and Shigella (Shi-GEL-uh). HOW ARE RWIs SPREAD? RWIs are spread by accidentally swallowing pool water that has been contaminated with germs that cause diarrhea. How? If someone has diarrhea, that person can easily contaminate the pool. Think about it. Pool water is shared by every swimmer and is not sterile. The good news is that germs causing RWIs are killed by chlorine. However, chlorine doesn?t work right away. It takes time to kill germs and some germs like Crypto can live in pools for days. Even the best maintained pools can spread illness. SHOULD ALL FECAL ACCIDENTS BE TREATED THE SAME? No. A diarrheal fecal accident is a higher risk event than a formed stool accident. With most diarrheal illnesses, the number of infectious germs found in each bowel movement decreases as the diarrhea stops and the person?s bowel movements return to normal. Therefore, a formed stool is probably less of a risk than a diarrheal accident that you may not see. A formed stool may contain no germs, a few, or many that can cause illness. You won?t know. The germs that may be present are less likely to be released into the pool because they are mostly contained within the stool. However, formed stool also protects germs inside from being exposed to the chlorine in the pool so prompt removal is necessary. Germ Inactivation Time for Chlorinated Water* Germ Time E. coli O157:H7 Bacterium Less than 1 minute Hepatitis A Virus about 16 minutes Giardia Parasite about 45 minutes Cryptosporidium Parasite about 9600 minutes (6.7 days) * 1ppm (1mg/L) chlorine at pH 7.5 and 77°F (25°C)   SHOULD YOU TREAT A FORMED FECAL ACCIDENT AS IF IT CONTAINS CRYPTO? No. In 1999, pool staff volunteers from across the country collected almost 300 samples from fecal accidents that occurred at waterparks and pools. CDC then tested them for Crypto and Giardia. None of the sampled fecal accidents tested positive for Crypto but Giardia was found in 4.4% of the samples collected. These results suggest that formed fecal accidents pose only a very small Crypto threat, but should be treated as a risk for spreading other germs (such as Giardia). Remember a diarrheal fecal accident is considered to be a higher risk event than a formed stool fecal accident. What do I do about formed stool in the pool? Formed stools can act as a container for germs. If the fecal matter is solid, removing the feces from the pool without breaking it apart will decrease the likelihood of pool contamination. In addition, RWIs are more likely to be spread when someone who is ill with diarrhea has a fecal accident in the pool. Direct everyone to leave the pool. If you have multiple pools that use the same filter?all pools will have to be shut down. Do not allow anyone to enter the contaminated pool(s) until all decontamination procedures are completed. Remove as much of the fecal material as possible using a net or scoop and dispose of it in a sanitary manner. Clean and disinfect the net or scoop (e.g., after cleaning, leave the net or scoop immersed in the pool during disinfection). VACUUMING STOOL FROM THE POOL IS NOT RECOMMENDED. Raise the chlorine to 2 ppm (if less than 2 ppm), and ensure the pH is between 7.2 - 7.5. This chlorine concentration was selected to keep the pool closure time to approximately 30 minutes. Other concentrations or closure times can be used as long as the CT inactivation value (footnote 1) is kept constant. Maintain the chlorine concentration at 2.0 ppm, pH 7.2 - 7.5, for at least 25 minutes before reopening the pool. State or local regulators may require higher chlorine levels in the presence of chlorine stabilizers such as chlorinated isocyanurates. Ensure that the filtration system is operating while the pool reaches and maintains the proper free available chlorine concentration during the disinfection process. Establish a fecal accident log. Document each fecal accident by recording date and time of the event, note whether formed stool or diarrhea, and note the chlorine levels at the time or observation of the event. Before reopening the pool, record the pH, the procedures followed in response to the fecal accident (including the process used to increase chlorine levels if necessary), and the contact time.   What do I do about diarrhea in the pool? Those who swim when ill with diarrhea place other swimmers at a significant risk for getting sick. Diarrheal accidents are much more likely than formed stool to contain germs. Therefore, it is important that all pool managers stress to patrons that swimming when ill with diarrhea is an unhealthy pool behavior. Direct everyone to leave the pool. If you have multiple pools that use the same filter?all pools will have to be shut down. Do not allow anyone to enter the contaminated pool(s) until all decontamination procedures are completed. Remove as much of the fecal material as possible using a net or scoop and dispose of it in a sanitary manner. Clean and disinfect the net or scoop (e.g., after cleaning, leave the net or scoop immersed in the pool during disinfection). VACUUMING STOOL FROM THE POOL IS NOT RECOMMENDED. Raise the free available chlorine concentration to 20 ppm (footnote 2) (mg/L) and maintain the pH between 7.2 and 7.5. This chlorine and pH level should be sufficient to inactivate Cryptosporidium and should be maintained for at least 8 hours, equivalent to a CT inactivation value of 9600. Ensure that the filtration system is operating while the pool reaches and maintains the proper chlorine level during disinfection. If necessary, consult an aquatics professional to determine and identify the feasibility, practical methods, and safety considerations before attempting the hyperchlorination of any pool. Backwash the filter thoroughly after reaching the CT value. Be sure the effluent is discharged directly to waste and in accordance with state or local regulations. Do not return the backwash through the filter. Where appropriate, replace the filter media. Swimmers may be allowed back into the pool after the required CT value has been achieved and the chlorine level has been returned to the normal operating range allowed by the state or local regulatory authority. Establish a fecal accident log. Document each fecal accident by recording date and time of the event, note whether formed stool or diarrhea, and note the chlorine levels at the time or observation of the event. Before reopening the pool, record the pH, the procedures followed in response to the fecal accident (including the process used to increase chlorine levels if necessary), and the contact time.   Footnote 1: CT refers to concentration (C) of free available chlorine in ppm multiplied by time (T) in minutes. If pool operators want to use a different chlorine concentration or inactivation time, they need to ensure that CT values always remain the same (See Figure 1 for examples). Footnote 2: Many conventional test kits cannot measure free available chlorine levels this high. Use chlorine test strips that can measure free available chlorine in a range that includes 20 ppm (such as those used in the food industry) or make dilutions for use in a standard DPD test kit using chlorine-free water. For more information about the CDC Fecal Accident Recommendations, please go to http://www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming/fecal_response.htm Pool Disinfection time How long does it take to disinfect the pool after a fecal accident? This depends on what type of fecal accident has occurred and at which chlorine levels you choose to disinfect the pool. If the fecal accident is formed stool, follow Figure 1, which displays the specific time and chlorine level needed to inactivate Giardia. If the fecal accident is diarrhea, follow Figure 2, which displays the specific time and chlorine levels needed to inactivate Crypto. Figure 1-Giardia Inactivation for Formed Fecal Accident Chlorine Levels (ppm) Disinfection Time* 1.0 45 minutes 2.0 25 minutes 3.0 19 minutes * These closure times are based on a 99.9% inactivation of Giardia cysts by chlorine, pH 7.5, 77° F (25? C). The closure times were derived from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Disinfection Profiling and Benchmarking Guidance Manual. These closure times do not take into account ?dead spots? and other areas of poor pool water mixing.   Figure 2-Crypto Inactivation Time for Diarrheal Accident Chlorine Levels (ppm) Disinfection Time 1.0 6.7 days 10 16 hours 20 8 hours   CT value is the concentration (C) of free available chlorine in ppm multiplied by time (T) in minutes (CT value = C x T ). The CT value for Giardia is 45 and the value for Crypto is 9600. If you choose to use a different chlorine concentration or inactivation time, you must ensure that the CT values remain the same. For example, to determine the length of time needed to disinfect a pool at 15 ppm after a diarrheal accident use the following formula: C x T = 9600. Solve for time: T= 9,600 ? ppm = 10.7 hours. It would take 10.7 hours to inactivate Crypto at 15 ppm. You can do the same for Giardia by using the CT of 45. Pool Closures Fecal accidents are a concern and an inconvenience to both pool operators and patrons. Pool operators should carefully explain to swimmers the need to close the pool in response to a fecal accident for their own health and safety. Understanding that pool closure is necessary for proper disinfection and protection of the health of swimmers is likely to promote support rather than frustration. Pool closures allow chlorine to do its job and protect your swimmers from RWIs

◙

Teaching Aquatics
When English is a Student's Second Language by Vivian Jacobson

        ◙

Skinship
Better Bonding with Baby by Rae Pica
 

Where infants are concerned, America is considered a “low-touch” society.  In many other cultures, babies are held for hours, stroked when in need of soothing, and carried close to the bodies of their mothers.  In ours, babies spend lengthy periods alone in cribs; we fear that unless they’re allowed to “self-soothe,” they’ll be spoiled and grow up dependent; and, though we may carry our infants, they’re more likely to be “containerized” than carried body-to-body.

And, oh, how today’s society loves its containers!  Recent evidence indicates infants are spending upward of 60 waking hours a week in things.  In high chairs and walkers.  Playpens and portable cribs.  Plastic seats, bouncy seats, and seats that swing.  And we push them in strollers until they’re four or five years old!  All of this translates into little time spent holding, playing with, or simply touching our babies.

What parents need to know is that, of the five senses, touch is the most sensitive and well-developed at birth.  Numerous studies have proven – and what parents in other cultures seem to know instinctively – is that touch isn’t just something “nice” for baby; it’s absolutely essential – to bonding, to growth and development, and to present and future emotional well-being.

Parents may believe that by allowing their babies “alone time,” they’re helping them grow up to be independent individuals.  The irony is that babies who are touched, played with, and carried near the body tend to have stronger bonds with their mothers – and the resulting secure attachment means a less dependent, more self-reliant child in the long run.  Studies have also shown that most-touched babies are less prone to later physical violence and more prone to be trusting, confident, and resilient.

Babies, for the sake of their motor and cognitive development, also need to move!  When they spend too much time containerized, they never strengthen their muscles – to lift and turn their heads, to push up on their arms, to develop optimal balance, stability, and motor skills.  Early movement experiences are also considered essential to the neural stimulation (the “use-it-or-lose-it” principle involved in the keeping or pruning of brain cells) needed for healthy brain development.

Writes Dr. Sharon Heller, in The Vital Touch: “Every caress, stroke, hug, squeeze, and playful game; all the rocking, swaying, swinging, spinning; all the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes in our baby’s world – all feed our infant’s need for sensory input and spark the neurons in her brain to grow and branch out to encompass other neurons.”

In Japan, the closeness between mother and child is so much a part of the culture that there’s a word for it: skinship.  Parents in our country may never have heard of it, but that doesn’t mean they can’t practice it – by freeing babies from containers whenever possible, holding them, rocking them, and making plenty of eye contact. By playing with them – which it’s never too early to do!

Not surprisingly, the assumption is that, until the infant is at least able to creep, play and movement experiences are severely limited.  But that’s just not so.  There are many ways babies can move and play without the ability to transport themselves from place to place.  And children learn to play just as they learn to walk and talk – by having it modeled and by experiencing and practicing it!

Games like peekaboo and pattycake have survived for generations because they offer so much of what a baby needs.  Peekaboo provides bonding in the way of eye contact and laughter, and it teaches the child about object permanence (things don’t disappear simply because we can’t see them).  Pattycake provides physical touch and gives babies a chance to cross the vertical midline of the body, which requires that the two hemispheres of the brain communicate across the corpus callosum.  This is later critical to, among other things, reading and writing skills.

When you play “This Little Piggy” with your baby, you’re again offering physical touch and laughter, with a healthy dose of body awareness thrown in.  Holding your baby and gently swaying – preferably skin to skin – provides vestibular stimulation (the sense of balance and motion) and soothes both of you.  Even making funny faces contributes to development.  When baby imitates, she is learning through observation and developing communication skills. 

Bonding is a long-term, ongoing process.  When you stroke, hold, and lovingly play with a baby, you’re providing him with a sense of security and trust.  A baby feels wanted and loved and worthy.  And, as an added bonus, all of this contributes to physical, social/emotional, and cognitive development!

Parents only want the best for their children.  As such, they’ve been quick to embrace the claims of the makers of infant software (“lapware”), CDs with “special” music, and flashcards in multiple languages.  In our high-tech, fast-paced society, we turn readily and hopefully to the latest gadgets and gear promised to give our babies a “head start” on brain and motor development.

But the simple truth is that babies don’t need fancy gadgets and gear!  The best we have to offer them is what their brains were “hardwired” for before birth.  It’s free and accessible to all.  It’s touch and movement and play.  It’s skinship. ◙

Rae Pica has been a children’s physical activity specialist for 25 years. A former adjunct instructor with the University of New Hampshire, she is the author of 15 books, including the text Experiences in Movement, the Moving & Learning Series, and Your Active Child, written for the parents of children birth to eight. Rae is nationally known for her workshops and keynotes and has shared her expertise with such groups as the Sesame Street Research Department, the Head Start Bureau, Centers for Disease Control, Nickelodeon’s Blue’s Clues, and a number of state health departments throughout the country. Rae served on the task force of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) that created Active Start: A Statement of Physical Activity Guidelines for Children Birth to Five Years. She is also the author of “Kids in Action,” a booklet of movement activities parents can do at home with their children. See also http://www.movingandlearning.com  FYI: Rae tells WABC that she is in agreement with the AAP's policy on swimming instruction for children under 4 years of age. WABC replied that 'keep an open mind and we will send you a list of programs to visit!'  :-)

2006 - all rights reserved by World Aquatic Babies & Children
http://www.WABCswim.com