In this regard, it might be wise to consider postponing diving until the infant is weaned, which is usually around the sixth month in Western culture. There is a phase of rapid fat deposition in this 13-15 year old period, sometimes with a significant decrease in power and aerobic capacity. Performance measures peak at age 13 and then level off and decline. For some, this becomes a problem in the management of heavy scuba gear. There is ossification of long bones in this period and concerns directed to the possibility of nitrogen bubble localization in the growth plates.
Young divers have several metabolic disadvantages.
They become hypovolemic much more rapidly than adults, generate more metabolic heat and burn more energy from a larger surface area to body mass ratio. Girls get colder more quickly than older women under similar environmental conditions, there being a 20 fold increase of conductivity into water. Greater thermal protection is needed for the young diver and the importance of a properly fitted wet suit is stressed. There is no pool of diving data to indicate that women are at any more or less risk of DCS or osteonecrosis when perimenopausal or post menopausal. Diving does not seem to have any effect on the changes in the osteoblasts and -clasts that occur with aging and diminished estrogen.