CONFUSION
ABOUT MATROSWIMMING
OUR
MATROSWIMMING METHOD MISTAKEN FOR OTHER SWIM PRACTICES FOR
BABIES
A
TV news program transmitted on Monday 23, January 2006,
at 8 p.m., in Argentina, casted images supposedly
related to Matroswimming ™ method together with serious
statistic report from Belgium warning on long run
prejudicial effects on primary school children who have
been taken swim classes since earlier than 2 years old,
in indoor poorly aired pools and scarce hygiene conditions
on the part of the users (therefore, sweat and urine plus
chlorine in the water generated a harmful mixture prejudicial
to young swimmers´ health). However, the scientific
report came from Belgium and no reference was made neither
to Argentina nor to Matroswimming.
The
news was accompanied by images that had been shot some years
ago where Dr. Patricia Cirigliano was teaching babies in
the First Argentine Swim School for Babies which has been
created and run by her since 1960.
No
explanation can be found to such lack of information. Kilometres
of lines have been written on Matroswimming™,
the original Argentine method applied locally and in several
countries around the world (not particularly in Belgium).
Besides, over 14,400 babies have learnt to swim; some
even belong to second generation of swimmer babies,
all of whom have been controlled and certified by well know
pediatricians who can testify as to their welfare.
MATROSWIMMING™
IS NOT THE SAME AS SWIM CLASSES FOR BABIES
Matroswimming
is an Argentine original method with its own theoretical
framework, created in 1960 and which bears no similitude
to other method whatsoever. It does not include structure
elements, found in other systems or methods, other than
those belonging to our philosophy and professional doctrine,
which has been coherent over the last 46 years and fully
in accordance with pediatric family standards and controls
present in our School and covering over 14,000 children
who received benefits and no injury.
Matroswimming
is a holistic method that not only encompasses the family
as a totality but also the multiple didactic aspects together
with the environment within which they take place. Matroswimming
teachers have the pedagogic responsibility and the ethical
commitment to take care of their students´ health,
the water, surrounding space, didactic material and general
organization.
It
must be mentioned, the important role of high level Argentine
pediatricians who have constantly controlled their patients
who are our students. Over 46 years no adverse situation
has taken place regarding children’s health in our
First Argentine Swim School for Babies. Therefore, family
pediatricians have certified their patients´ good
condition for decades. Besides, Matroswimming has been endorsed
as an ideal activity as from childbirth up to 12 months
old by the National Pediatric Program 1999.(See
PRONAP 99).
Matroswimming
is a healthy activity for babies
The
facts described by the Belgium report cannot be compared
to our reality. Matroswimming is a method
that, besides its specific pedagogic applications, requires
adequate facilities that comply with strict environmental
demands such as the First Argentine Swim School
for Babies.
Condition
of the First Swim School for Babies facilities:
Natural ventilation and turbo-ventilation.
Sliding transparent roof that allows open-air classes.
Wide windows with garden view.
Water heating circuit.
Strict hygiene and temperature control in every room: reception,
dressing room, toilette, shower room, pool area and hair-drying
room.
Optimum pool water condition maintained through the following
process:
a)
24 hrs. continuous water filtering going through 90 degrees
heater.
b) Temperature control to keep 32 degrees constantly.
c) Air and water quality control through official laboratory
analysis.
d) Ph and chlorine level pool daily control.
e) First line chemical products in order to keep water
purity.
Rules
observed in our School:
Medical control of children certified by the family pediatrician.
Medical control of both parents by the School Medical Department.
Exclusive use of the pool by parents and their children
(as from 15 days old to 5 years old).
Previous shower (with water and soap) required to enter
the pool.
More information on the School in: www.matronatacion.com.ar.
DEFINITIVELY
A DIFFERENT REALITY IN BELGIUM
Even
though the report ends by suggesting that negative effects
could be diminished by improving users´ hygienic conditions,
in our opinion there are other issues to be taken into account.
Exclusively by comparing directly applied teaching system
features and resulting psychosomatic effects it can be understood
why chlorinated water may be infected with organic waste
up to such a dangerous level.
It
must be noted that in most states within the European Community
rules expressly forbid kids to enter swimming pools naked
and set forth the need to wear swim-suits with elastic adjustment
around the legs and the waist in order to avoid organic
particles, as a consequence of an “involuntary accident”,
getting into contact with the water. On the contrary, our
pupils are naked and laboratory analyses show that no such
“accident” takes place; therefore, the pool
remains crystal clear.
Furthermore,
cultural uses together with the high cost of water and water
shortages account for the inadequate, or total lack of,
previous shower.
It
can clearly be seen that the report originated in Belgium
does not apply to our reality.
Unfortunately, kids included in the Belgium report were
compelled to swim since very young, according to the report,
in indoor pools, poorly ventilated, and in contaminated
water (due to sweat and urine mixed with chlorine) which
gave place to rarefied air in the pool area. Those hazards
coupled with incorrect swimmers´ hygiene (mentioned
in the report) and the obviously poor water filtering, renewal
and chlorination (that the report suggests must be improved
in order to diminish prejudicial effects) certainly cannot
be healthy for children.
Said
report also shows, according to objective statistics, presumed
unhealthy conditions in most European indoor pools due to
lack of ventilation. Considering raw weather external conditions,
the indoor closed environments with chlorinated water are
characterized by unpleasant and uncomfortable working conditions
that can be observed by ordinary people, not to mention
researchers.
The
aggravated circumstances regarding vulnerable kids when
they attend classes in pools with deficient environment
and poor hygiene, generally without pediatric controls,
have been mentioned in my speeches during international
world congresses when I was summoned to present our holistic
Matroswimming method.
To
get more information: www.matronatacion.com.ar
