Evidence Hub

South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society (SPUMS) position statement regarding paediatric and adolescent diving

Elliott E, Smart D, Lippmann J, Banham N, Nochetto M, Roehr S

Diving and hyperbaric medicine, 2024

Abstract

This paediatric diving position statement was developed from a targeted workshop at the 51st Annual Scientific Meeting of the South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society (SPUMS) on 8 June 2023. It highlights the factors that SPUMS regards as important when undertaking health risk assessments for diving by children and adolescents (defined as aged 10 to 15 years). Health risk assessments for diving should be performed by doctors who are trained in diving medicine and who are familiar with the specific risks which result from breathing compressed gas in the aquatic environment. Undertaking a diver health risk assessment of children and adolescents requires a detailed history (including medical, mental health, psychological maturity), a comprehensive diver medical physical examination and evaluation of all relevant investigations to exclude unacceptable risks. In addition, assessment of the individual's motivation to dive and reported in-water capability should occur, whilst engaging with their parent /guardian and instructor, where appropriate, to ensure that safety for the child is optimised. The guideline applies to all compressed air diving including scuba and surface supply diving provided in open and contained bodies of water.

Read the paper

Related studies

Go deeper in Evidence Hub

Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.

Open this study Sign up free