Can Asthmatics ever be Scuba Instructors?

Question
Hello again Mike,

Another question for you. I checked with my doctor and yes, he says the dry, compressed air is what is probably flaring up my asthma...which otherwise almost never bothers me.

I started to have my heart set on going through all the levels and eventually becoming a Scuba Instructor...but before I go and invest all the time, effort and money in going after the Dive Master level, I want to know if you know if PADI Americas ever allows asthmatics to take the Instructor Development Course...say, if they have their asthma well under control with steroids, etc.

I just want some insight as to whether an asthmatic should bother considering life as a Scuba Pro.....or if the limitations and dangers are just too great...and instead should just be satisfied with being simply a recreational diver.

Thanks for your help.

Answer
Hi Again, Shasta,

PADI won't have an issue with your asthma since you'll have to fill out and sign a medical evaluation form like the one required for your Open Water certification.  Since you have a history of asthma, you'll also have to get another release from your doctor.  As I mentioned in my fist letter, I'd also check with DAN for their viewpoint.

Of more importance is whether you'll be able to handle diving activities knowing that they will probably cause flare-ups with your asthma.  The courses you're facing on the way to your IDC can be physically demanding and I'm afraid that it might cause some respiratory problems for you.  Of particular concern would be your Rescue Diver and Divemaster courses.

I think your concern over a scuba career is valid and I'd suggest just logging some dives under different conditions and determining how well you can handle them.  Start slow and gradually build to dives that require more stamina and see how it goes.  You will have to log about 60 dives in order to take your Divemaster course anyway so making these dives will also help you reach that goal.  It's not necessary to go deep.  Sixty to seventy feet is plenty deep enough.

As part of your Rescue Diver and Divemaster courses, you'll have to complete timed swimming requirements and you'll need to deal with struggling divers and rescue scenarios.  This is where the stamina comes into play and also where your asthma may flare up.

To simulate some of these stamina requirements, try swimming rapidly back and forth over a 30 yard course with full scuba gear.  If you're going to have problems, it will show up under these conditions.  Again, start slow and gradually build up until you see how your body will react.  This sort of activity is not recommended in the training manuals because it can put a lot of stress on your cardiovascular and respiratory systems.  Please be careful and don't overdo it.  As a normal part of our training dives, we carry an oxygen rescue pack and I'd strongly suggest having one of those handy in case you have an unexpected shortness of breath episode.

Shasta, I'm not trying to scare you with all these precautions.  Most of them are required for normal training dives anyway but, in your case, it's much more important to make sure they're in place.

Let me know how it goes and what you decide to do.

Respectfully,
Mike