The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) joins local public health partners and the CDC in recognizing May 21 through 27 as National Recreational Water Illness and Injury (RWII) Prevention Week. This year, IDPH highlights the importance of supervision in and around pools and recreational waters. “Nationally, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury death in children between 1 and 5 years of age,” said John Kelly, IDPH Environmental Engineer.
“While lifeguard supervision may be provided at many facilities, the direct supervision by parents or caregivers is the first layer of protection for young children and non-swimmers whenever they are in or around water.” Parents and caregivers can help keep children safe in and around water by following these safety tips:
- Children 5-years-old and younger should be within arm’s reach at all times.
- Directly supervise all young children and non-swimmers that you bring to the pool by keeping them within eyesight at all times.
- Coast Guard-approved life jackets can offer an additional layer of protection, but they are not a substitute for direct supervision of children.
Each year, there are hundreds of cases of water-related illnesses reported in Iowa. In 2011, more than 350 cases of Cryptosporidiosis, or “crypto” were reported to IDPH. Crypto is a disease caused by a parasite that results in watery diarrhea, sometimes accompanied by nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and low grade fever. This can happen in several ways, but most commonly occurs when good hygiene practices are not followed or when swimmers swallow contaminated water. You can help keep a pool healthy by following these good hygiene tips:
- Don’t enter the pool if you have or have recently had diarrhea.
- Shower before swimming. Wash your child, especially the rear end, thoroughly with soap and water before swimming.
- Change diapers in a bathroom, not at the poolside.
- Thoroughly wash your hands after using the toilet or changing diapers.
- Take your kids on bathroom breaks and check swim diapers often.
- Do not swallow pool water or get pool water in your mouth.
There are 1,250 locations in Iowa that are inspected by local health departments and IDPH. You can help keep these facilities healthy for your friends and neighbors with responsible behavior in and around the pools. For more information about RWII Prevention Week, visitwww.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/rwi/rwi-prevention-week/index.html.
