Baby Swimming

nailit | 18:15 Wed 10th Jul 2019 | Science

20 Answers

It seems apparent that new born human babies have an inbuilt instinct for swimming.
So why do we therefore have to teach our youngsters to swim a few years later?
And why would a land-dwelling animal have an instinct to swim in the first place?
Thanks.

Smithsonian Channel, Apollo's Moon Shot

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Toorak

My understanding is that babies will automatically avoid taking in water when submersed so it is a good time to get them accustomed to being in water - I don’t think the actual ability to swim develops until later

Sqad

"It seems apparent that new born human babies have an inbuilt instinct for swimming.
So why do we therefore have to teach our youngsters to swim a few years later?"

Because a "few years later" they are no longer "new born" and that instinct has gone.

"And why would a land-dwelling animal have an instinct to swim in the first place? "

it adapts itself to land living but spends it's first nine months in fluid and with "gills" for the first couple of months.

nailit

Question Author

//it adapts itself to land living but spends it's first nine months in fluid and with "gills" for the first couple of months//

And just why would a creature that is destined to live its life on land develop gills?
Just curious.

pixie374

It may be just that evolution is very slow, but very young babies usually try to move by making swinning movements before they can crawl, as that's what they have been used to.

Sqad

Because, it's basic development is shared with fishes and other vertebrates....the fishes keep there's but humans do not need them and they become vestigial ( not needed on the cruise).

calmck

Took my daughter and grand kids swimming from 2 months of age. They never lost the ability to swim and hold their breath. Also they never had the toddler fear of water

pixie374

Do the gills disappear totally, sqad? Or is there still some sign of them after? X

Sqad

The gills become pharyngeal clefts from which the jaw bones and other structures in the neck develop. Occasionally this development of neck structures is incomplete and pits or cysts can be present as remnants.
Unusual, but do occasionally present.

pixie374

Thank you x

alavahalf

Some say there are a few 'locals' in remote quiet villages in Cornwall who are known to have gills .. a few have webbed feet as well !

Old_Geezer

We will have evolved from aquatic animals. And it's good for survival.

I don't think one has to teach children, it's just that they've learnt to fear and need help overcoming it. Once you know that you breath and could drown, you're less keen on being immersed in water, especially deeper than you're tall.

Old_Geezer

Lots of things get developed because ancestors needed them, and there's no intelligent designer demanding they don't form any more. Evolution will randomly change things, but only those changes with survival benefits (long enough to raise kids) stick around. Nothing deliberately clears up that which is no longer needed. It it goes, it goes, if it stays, it stays, if it mutates into something else useful, luck has made it so much the better.

THECORBYLOON

I may be confused about what is an instinct and what is a reflex but is the diving response in wee ones not a reflex?

spathiphyllum

Babys can't swim... just so you know.

They can float and avoid breathing in water, especially when submerged but don't expect to drop a baby in the bath and it start doing breast stroke.

spathiphyllum

Regarding gills, we have the foundation for them, but never develop gills. Instead we develop a structured jaw. It's not similar to why men have nipples.