According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), recreational water illnesses (RWI) have been increasing. RWIs are illnesses spread by infection-producing germs that contaminate water in pools, hot tubs, spas, lakes, rivers and oceans. The most common RWI organisms include Pseudomonas aeruginosa which causes swimmer's ear and skin rashes, and cryptosporidium, Giardia lamblia, shigella, and E. coli, which cause diarrhea. Simple prevention methods and healthy swimming behaviors can help protect you from RWIs and stop organisms from spreading in recreational water.
The CDC recommends the following guidelines to help promote healthy swimming this summer:
1. Don't swim when you have diarrhea-
Swimmers ill with diarrhea have fecal matter on their bottoms that can contaminate recreational water and make other people sick.
2. Don't swallow the water-
Avoid getting water in your mouth. Swallowing water contaminated with germs can cause diarrhea. Dry ears after swimming and remove water from your ear canal by tilting your head to the side and tugging your ear lobe.
3. Practice good hygiene-
Washing germs from your body will help prevent the spread of germs in recreational water. Showering before and after swimming can help prevent skin rashes and the spread of germs. Be sure to wash your hands after using the toilet or changing diapers.
4. Include bathroom breaks-
Parents should make sure that children have timely bathroom breaks and check baby's diapers often.
5. Change diapers in an appropriate location-
Parents should change diapers in a bathroom and not by the pool. Otherwise, RWI germs and illness can be spread around the pool.
6. Wash children before swimming-
Parents should wash their children with soap and water before swimming. Be sure to wash children's bottoms so that fecal matter will not be spread in recreational water.
REFERENCES:
1. When You Swim, Swim Healthy!, CDC, July 11, 2006:
http://www.cdc.gov/healthy swimming
2. Six PLEAs for Healthy Swimming, CDC, June 28, 2006:
http://www.cdc.gov/healthy swimming/6_pleas.htm
3. CDC Healthy Swimming Questions and Answers, CDC, June 28, 2006,
http://www.cdc.gov/healthy swimming/w_print.htm
4. Mann D, Beware of Recreational Water Illnesses, WebMD, April 10, 2006:
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/121/114042.htm
Posted by Elaine Gavalas on August 9, 2006 01:50 PM
