Few parents enforce shower-before-pool rules that prevent water park illness

Water

parks offer families a chance to have fun and be physically active.

That fun may come with the risk of getting sick with infections

from the water, illnesses that affect over 10,000 Americans each

year. One of the best ways to reduce the risk of infection is to

make sure that parents and kids shower before playing at water

parks.

“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: windowtext;”>The

University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll

on Children’s Health asked parents of elementary school kids about

their perceptions of water park risks and their opinions about

basic water park rules. The sample included families who have taken

their children to water parks within the past year.

“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: windowtext;”>“While

64 percent of parents feel it is very important for children to not

swallow the water at a water park, only 26 percent of parents think

it is very important to shower before getting in the water,” says

Dr. Matthew Davis, director of the poll and associate professor in

the Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit at the U-M Medical

School. “Parents seem to understand the risk of contaminated water

for their kids but few have their kids take the necessary

preventive steps to keep everyone healthy.”

“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: windowtext;”>Most

parents also may not appreciate their role in preventing

recreational water infections, Davis says. While 65 percent of

parents feel that preventing Recreational Water Illnesses (RWIs) is

a shared responsibility between parents and water park staff, 28

percent of parents feel that water park staff alone is

responsible.

“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: windowtext;”>“This

poll shows that relatively few parents fully understand their role

in preventing infections at water parks,” says Davis, who is also

associate professor of public policy at the Gerald R. Ford School

of Public Policy. “The ‘shower before entering’ rule posted at

water parks nationwide isn’t meant to be optional. Showering is a

simple and effective way to reduce the spread of germs, including

some germs like Cryptosporidium that are not killed with

conventional levels of chlorine. When parents let their kids play

at a water park without showering, they may be raising the risk of

infection for everyone.”

“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: windowtext;”>Parents

perceive the risk of infections from water parks as lower than the

risk of drowning, Davis adds. In fact, national data indicate that

infections are more common than drowning each year.

“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: windowtext;”>Water

park staff and parents can work together to prevent infections.

Staff can follow state-of-the-art steps to managing risks of

cryptosporidiosis, which include treating with high levels of

chlorine intermittently and using ozone or ultra-violet treatment

technologies.

“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: windowtext;”>Parents

can follow these easy steps:

“font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; color: windowtext;”>
Wash

thoroughly with soap and water (especially for young children in

the diaper region) before swimming;
“font-size: 9pt;”>Take children

on bathroom breaks or check diapers often;

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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; color: windowtext;”>

“font-size: 9pt; color: windowtext;”>
“font-size: 9pt;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: windowtext;”>Remind

children not to swallow the water and to avoid getting water in the

mouth;
Do not swim when sick with
diarrhea.