How to keep the kids safe from nasties in the pool this summer
How to keep the kids safe from nasties in the pool this summer
from The Therapy Book
The school summer holidays are nearly here, and many of us will be taking the children for days out at the local swimming pool. However, how can we protect them from some of the nasties that seem to turn up more and more these days in public swimming pools?
Recently, a news article published in the New York Daily News stated that a public swimming pool in Brooklyn had to be shut down when it became contaminated with fecal material. Park officials believed the incident was caused by a dirty diaper.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention publishes a journal called Emerging Infectious Diseases. In the June 2008 issue, the CDC reported a study examining the safety of public swimming pool water in over 160 recreational water facilities. The purpose of the study was to determine how common two parasites occur in public swimming pools.
It turned out that one in 12 public swimming pools are contaminated with parasites.
Researchers in the CDC study took random samples from 160 public swimming pools around Atlanta, Georgia. Two microbial parasites, Cryptosporidium and Giardia, were present in one out of twelve swimming pools. These parasites are found in human feces. They are spread when someone swallows swimming pool water. They are also spread if a person does not wash his or her hands after handling a dirty diaper or eats contaminated food.
The most common symptom of these two parasites is diarrhea. Children and pregnant women can become violently ill from an infestation of Cryptosporidium or Giardia. People with compromised immune systems, such as people with AIDS and cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, are at risk of dying if infested with Cryptosporidium, according to the CDC.
"Baby pools" and smaller, less- frequently attended pools were found to contain the highest presence of these microbial parasites.
Practice safe swimming when visiting public water facilities
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer the following tips to reduce the risk of becoming ill from swimming in a public swimming pool:
- Do not go swimming if you have diarrhea
- Do not allow your children to go swimming if they have diarrhea
- Make sure your children make a trip to the bathroom before swimming in a public pool
- Do not swallow or drink swimming pool water
- Teach children not to swallow or drink swimming pool water
- Change baby diapers in designated changing areas in restrooms, not at poolside
- Insist on public recreational water facilities that are properly maintained
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Some great swimming pool party games for the kids this summer
Pool Party Games
from Aquatech, via Gohlke Pools
We are all familiar with pool games such as relay races, Marco Polo and chicken fights, but following are some that you might not be familiar with:
Swimming Games
Steal the Bacon-Form 2 teams of an equal amount of players and each team numbers off. Each team sits at the opposite end of the pool. A non-player then throws a ball (nerf, tennis, or ping pong balls work well) to the middle of the pool and calls a number belonging to a member of each team. The players whose numbers were called race to retrieve the ball and take it to their side of the pool without being caught by the other player. A player successfully returning the ball to his side receives 2 points and a player successfully catching the opponent receives 1 point. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.
Ping-Pong Race-We have all played games similar to this one, but probably not in the pool. For this race, players line up at one end of the pool with a ping pong ball. The goal is to blow the ping pong ball, without touching it, to the other end of the pool. The player whose Ping-Pong ball reaches the end of the pool first wins.
Floating Ball Pick-Up Race-This game is played on top of the water using floating objects such as Ping-Pong balls or tennis balls. It is important to have several dozen of these balls. It is best to mark the balls so that they represent different point totals. Someone puts all of the balls in the pool. When the race begins, participants try to get as many balls in a predetermined short amount of time. When the time is up, add up the balls or point totals, document the score, and continue playing several rounds until someone reaching the predetermined point total is declared the winner.
Tag Games
Sharks and Minnows - This game is good for a large group. One person is the shark and starts in the middle of the pool. All other players are minnows and start out of the water on one side of the deck. The shark yells out "minnow!" and the minnows must jump in and try to swim to the other side of the pool without being tagged by the shark. The minnows that get tagged become sharks and the game is replayed until only one minnow remains. That person starts the new game as the shark.
Towel Tag-All players place a towel or any other item that can be balanced on their head. One person is designated as the chaser. The chaser attempts to tag the other players. Whoever is tagged becomes the new chaser. If a player loses the towel that is balanced on their head while being chased, that player becomes the new chaser.
Chicken Fight Tag-This is also called horse and rider tag. Player's pair up and ride piggyback. One pair is designated the chaser. Only the rider can be tagged or can tag. The chaser pursues other pairs until a rider is tagged, then they become the new chaser.
Shark-Shark!-You have probably played this game, but it is still a good one. One participant is the shark and gets in the middle of the pool, while the other participants get on the other end of the pool. When the shark yells out "Shark-Shark"! all other participants must get to the other side of the pool without being tagged by the shark. Tagged participants become sharks. The last remaining participant is the winner.
Races
Chicken Fight Races-This is also called horse and rider races. Player's pair up and ride piggyback. All participants are lined up on one end and race. The team reaching the finish line first wins.
Leap Frog Race-This was played by most everyone in PE classes in elementary school and is probably even more fun in a pool. The teams line up, and the last players in line are the frogs. The other participants get in a crouched position with their hands on their thighs or knees. The frogs then jump over each teammate in front of them and then become crouched. The last person in the line then becomes the frog. This is continued until the end of the pool is reached, with the team reaching the end first winning the race.
Innertube Race - This is fairly self-explanatory. Each participant sits in an innertube at one end of the pool; someone says go and the participants race to the other end of the pool.
Sport Games
Volleyball-Volleyball games are available at Gohlke Pools. Some pool owners purchase a regulation net and anchor it to fence posts, trees, etc. allowing the net to cross over the pool. Either way, it is a great game for larger groups.
Basketball-Basketball goals are available at Gohlke Pools. This game is better for small groups.
Baseball-Typically it is played in the shallow end of the pool with bases being approximately 10'-15' apart. Typically, a ball hit out of the far end of the pool is a homerun.
Football-This game is self-explanatory and is also quite fun.
HAVE FUN & BE SAFE!
Submitted by: Gohlke Pools, Denton, TX
Good video on the importance of layering barriers to swimming pool safety
Top 3 Swimming Pool Games for Kids
Top 3 Pool Games for Little Ones
Many pool games can be difficult for small children because of their size, lack of swimming experience, and current stage of development. It can be hard for toddlers to keep up with the "big kids" especially if the swimming pool is involved. There is no reason why your little one should feel left out of the swimming pool fun. The top 3 pool games for little ones in this article will give you new ideas for interactive pool games and enjoyment. Note: Alert adult supervision is required whenever any child is in or near a pool.
Pool Safety for Babies from livestrong.com
Swimming pools offer enjoyable recreation for babies and children but also present danger when safety measures are not taken and followed. Babies are at risk of drowning in as little as one inch of water, which makes wading pools as hazardous as larger swimming pools. Adults who are responsible for supervising children in the water should implement and follow pool safety steps and feel comfortable in the water themselves to make enjoying the pool a safer activity for babies.
The safer 3 from the National Drowning Prevention Alliance
How to Create a Recipe for Prevention with Safer 3
The Swim For Life Foundation recognized a need for one consistent water safety message and began by asking: Where is the risk?
The Safer 3 is a comprehensive initiative to dramatically reduce drowning incidents by:
A guide to swimming pool alarms and water safety devices
A Guide to Swimming Pool Alarms and Child Detection Devices
The thought of a child drowning in their swimming pool strikes fear into the heart of every residential pool owner. Whether their concern is for their own children, neighborhood youngsters, or both, their fears are legitimate – according to the Centers for Disease Control, drowning is the leading cause of injury death for children aged one to four, and three children die every day as a result of drowning.
The pleasure of owning a swimming pool is accompanied by added responsibility in terms of keeping children safe. While no pool safety measure is a placement for alert adult supervision when a child is in or around a swimming pool, there are products that provide additional peace of mind. In this article, we'll provide a guide to swimming pool alarms and child detection devices.
click here to learn about alarms and safety devices for your pool
Tips for keeping your swimming pool safe this summer
Get your pool ready for safe family fun
As the weather starts to warm, you can't help but stare at your backyard pool, anxious to begin a new season of memories with friends and family. No matter the season, pool safety should always be top of mind where children are concerned. With safety barriers - or layers of protection - in place between the home and the pool, you can experience the pleasures of backyard swimming pools and feel confident that children, grandchildren and visitors will be safeguarded from pool accidents.
Swimming pool safety during the Easter Egg Hunt
Swimming Pool Safety During Easter Egg Hunts
Easter is right around the corner and a lot of parents are busy planning this year's Easter egg hunt. Many families or neighborhoods will plan egg hunts in the backyard where there is plenty of green hiding space. However, not only is there more space in the backyard, but in many cases there is also a swimming pool. Swimming pool safety during Easter egg hunts is crucial.
Click here to read more about Swimming Pool safety during the easter egg hunt
