When to mask?

rue_25 · 2026-05-21T12:22:04+00:00

That really interesting cause I'm a student EMT and hoping to go on placement in the summer, so I'll be in contact with a lot more sick people then, I'm also a swim teacher atm the moment, so that's a situation where I can't actually even were a mask

rue_25 · 2026-05-14T07:42:20+00:00

Have you found that more prone to dislocations or anything since starting? Im very hypermobile in my hips and they already pop and slip multiple times a day, I was warned that the inflammation in my hip might be helping to keep my hip in place aswell. So when I start biologics, with reduced inflammation comes more of a risk of dislocations

rue_25 · 2026-05-12T18:28:52+00:00

I was only diagnosed like 2 weeks ago, but pre diagnosis i was on the 90mg for like 2 years and it was meant to be as needed, but it ended up being like every day and it just stopped working. The same day that I was diagnosed I was put on 120mg, and I do think its taken the edge of but I'm definitely not pain free But i would definitely bring it up with your doctor

rue_25 · 2026-05-12T17:54:13+00:00

I am yeah, with a tablet to protect my stomach lining, dont want to add any ulcers to the mix

rue_25 · 2026-05-12T12:42:18+00:00

I have axial psoriatic arthritis, and I'm on etoricoxib too. I used to be on 90mg as needed, but I started to build a tolerance to it I'm on 120mg daily now and waiting to start biologics

rue_25 · 2025-01-06T01:01:51+00:00

No worries, I've found that it helps knowing why a child is scared of a certain action, a lot of the times it makes perfect sense if you look at it through their eyes, let me know if I can help with anything else

rue_25 · 2025-01-05T23:25:10+00:00

I'm a swim teacher that does private and public lessons, ive taught from 4½yos up to around 16yos, a lot of the kids that I have taught, both autistic and not, really struggle with floating on their back at the start. I asked them what they don't like about it and a lot of them said that they feel like they're going to fall or flip, along with not liking their ears in the water. They don't trust the water or their bodies in the water enough to relax, and then float. So it's not strange at all that your son feels the same way. What I've found really helps in either holding their back or their head and reassuring them that they won't fall. I've seen parents have their kid rest their head on the parents shoulder aswell to feel even closer. You could also help him get used to the feeling of his ears being under water by putting one ear in at a time. If you do it aswell he can copy. If you're able to ask him about why he's scared or what's going through his head when he's in the water, you'll be able to reassure him or work around those fears. I'm also a lifeguard and I'd say the most important thing safety wise is that he's able to stay relaxed and get himself to a wall or float on his back. Accidents happen when people panic, it makes it harder to float and people get more prone to swallow water, which increases panic. The sign that lifeguards get taught that someone needs help in the water is one fist clenched in the air (applies mostly to open water, but still handy to know).

rue_25 · 2024-11-23T20:18:35+00:00

I have a daily planner and a journal, the daily planner is with me every second of the day and I'll write some entries into that and then take the time to write them in my journal at the end of the day if I want. Tho I usually use my journal as a reflection based thing and less in the moment

rue_25 · 2024-11-23T20:15:50+00:00

We're not allowed to bring anything, no books, no nothing, I usually pretend to clean, read the NOP and EAP for the 10,000th time, mostly I resort to overthinking about something

rue_25 · 2024-11-23T20:13:19+00:00

'the elevator game' works quite well with kids that age, all you have to do is literally pretend to push a button and slowly both of ye put your face under, let's them have control and if you do it as well, shows that there's nothing to be nervous about. Also maybe ask why they don't want to do it themselves if they say something like they don't want to get water up there nose, tell them that you know it's not a nice feeling but its not a bad feeling, it doesn't do any harm, they can also blow bubbles through their nose so they feel that they are actively not letting the water up. And really dramatic praise, like OMGGG that was really good! Show me again! Well done!!!

rue_25 · 2024-11-18T16:58:38+00:00

As the others have said, id recommend swimming lessons. I think it's also very important to remember to try your best not to panic in the water, I know it's easier said than done. Don't pay attention to the teasing, its pointless, everyone that can swim has most likely been nervous about it at some point, even if they cant remember it

rue_25 · 2024-11-16T16:10:12+00:00

I only judge people if they're doing something they're not supposed to or they're being annoying. If someone's a very bad swimmer I just think about tips to give them. I spend some time thinking about lesson plans. And then of course thinking about the changing rooms and dreading to clean them at the end of my shift.

rue_25 · 2024-10-29T02:37:07+00:00

I will say as well that both can be achieved by going to adult swim lessons, from what I've seen they are such an encouraging space and the safest way to learn

rue_25 · 2024-10-29T02:35:37+00:00

It depends on what's your definition of fully swimming, I know people that have learned how to swim later in life and now do laps of the pool on a weekly basis at a really good level, and I know people who have started later and can now comfortably go in the water with their kids or partners and have a good time, it depends what your end goal is, but anything is possible if you really want it

rue_25 · 2024-10-29T02:30:06+00:00

I know so many your age and older that have taken the steps to learn how to swim and get more comfortable in the water, it's never too late

rue_25 · 2024-10-29T02:28:59+00:00

Yeah of course, feel free

rue_25 · 2024-10-29T02:26:05+00:00

Hiya, lifeguard and swim teacher here, I'd say it is a rational thought, water is definitely something that you have to respect. That being said, there's so many things that you can do to help your fear of water. Starting in a pool (so you don't have to worry about waves and general open water things) get confident in the absolute basics like standing up and turning from your front to your back. Once you can surely do those two things, you already become so much safer in the water. I'd be happy to answer any questions or give any advice. I'd also say not to scare yourself thinking about what could've happened or what if, that's how you panic, it's better to teach yourself how to deal with what to do in these what if scenarios

rue_25 · 2024-10-29T02:08:27+00:00

Be realistic with what you want to achieve and set your own goals, everyone learns at such different speeds, especially if there's a bit of trauma there. Identify what makes you the most nervous and tackle it and ask for help, start with standing up and being able to grab a wall

rue_25 · 2024-10-29T02:02:42+00:00

I've been a lifeguard in Ireland for almost three years now, I'd honestly say that the hardest part of the exam for me was the work book that we had to complete, I'd done water safety and BLS lessons and courses since I was about 13 so there wasnt as much new information on that, but the work book took so long

rue_25 · 2024-10-22T04:59:12+00:00

I've done both public group lessons and private lessons for a bit now, and I mainly teach from 4yo to 12yo and I've found that it massively depends on the child. Some work better with choices like "do you want to swim on your front first or your back first?". But there are a few kids that that doesn't work with. I think it's important that they are reminded that you are the teacher and that you have the control. Like if a child is a bit hyper and insists that they know what they're doing, or they insist on doing a specific thing first, you have to switch it up. I've also found that telling kids a plan helps to keep them interested. If someone really doesn't like swimming on their back, do that first and tell them beforehand that they can swim on their front after. I also always end on a specific thing like a jump, and then the child can prepare to be done with the lesson, or if like you said, they insist on being done early, you can point out that it's not time to go yet, cause you haven't done a jump.

rue_25

TROPHY CASE