SUMMERTIME TIPS

Many overlook the fact that children can get sick from germs in the water of pools, lakes, and water parks. Consider a few easy steps that can help keep your children as well as  everyone else — safe while swimming. 

One danger when swimming is that water can be contaminated with germs that can cause recreational water illnesses (RWIs), including: 

  Diarrhea, which can be caused by swallowing water contaminated with parasites, bacteria, and viruses; these germs can get in the water when someone with an infection has a stooling accident in their diaper or in the water, has some of the germs or feces on their bottom, or the water is contaminated with sewage.

  Pink eye, also know as Conjunctivitis, which is  swelling or infection of the membrane lining the eyelids.

 Molluscum contagiosum, a rash similar to a wart which is caused by a poxvirus.

 Chlorine does kill most of these germs, but it can take up to an hour for the chlorine in a properly maintained pool to work. That means that if a child has diarrhea and gets in the pool and your child gets in right after him, that may not be enough time for the chlorine in the pool to kill any germs from the sick child.  It can take almost a week for chlorine to kill the Cryptosporidium parasite. 

• Don’t let your child in the water if he has a draining wound,
• Don’t share pool or beach towels.
• Get your child to take a shower or bath before swimming.
• Encourage your child to wash his hands after using the bathroom, especially if he is going to get back in the water.
• Take younger children to the bathroom frequently,
• Swim diapers and swim pants are not leakproof and may seep germs into the water.

For more information on health insurance coverage in North Carolina, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our qualified agents. Our agency provides coverage for health insurance in North Carolina through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC). You may qualify for a 15% healthy lifestyle discount if you are in excellent health. Call us for details.

This entry was posted on Monday, July 12th, 2010 at 12:23 am and is filed under Miscellaneous Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.