Keep Your Child Safe in the Hot Tub
Surely it goes without saying that children should not be permitted access to any such form of water without the presence of adult supervision. Because a fatal accident can occur in a split second, one of the greatest precautions you can take is to utilize a locking hot tub cover. If at all possible, this is one of the top child safety tips you should go out of your way to observe in regards to a hot tub.
Under no circumstances should a child ever be left unattended where a hot tub is present. A ringing phone is not as important as the safety of a child. Either let the call wait or take the child with you. Countless potentially fatal accidents have been prevented due to proper supervision and attention of an adult. Regrettably, the opposite is true in a multitude of cases each year.
Another factor to consider regarding child safety and hot tubs is the actual temperature of the water itself. Adults possess the ability to withstand exposure to higher temperatures than children generally do. This is in part due to the fact that adults have thicker skin than children. Having thinner skin, a small child is more likely to become over-heated. This can in turn render a child dizzy and light-headed; leading to possible drowning. Ideally, a child should not spend more than five minutes or so in a hot tub with a temperature of 104 degrees or higher. This again relies on appropriate adult supervision as a child does not have the ability to recognize what is happening to them if they become disoriented due to prolonged exposure to a high water temperature. Not only this, but children may not be capable of properly communicating their symptoms of over-heating or nausea. Exercising caution and diligently monitoring a child should be an adult’s sole priority in regards to hot tubs and child safety.
While hot tubs provide many health benefits and are an exceedingly enjoyable place to spend a little down time, they are also a breeding ground for a myriad of bacteria. All of those microscopic, illness inducing little culprits can present a big problem for children who are more susceptible to germs since their antibodies are not yet fully developed and able to fight some infections. Taking suitable precautions in regards to the cleanliness of your hot tub is a must when it comes to child safety, as well as for the safety of all who use the hot tub. Be sure to maintain the correct pH balance and always keep the necessary chemicals on hand as it is better to be safe than sorry.
It is a good idea to keep those with open sores out of your hot tub for their own best interest, as well as everyone else’s. Children who still wear diapers and are not potty trained should under no circumstance be allowed in the hot tub. Any fecal matter that is introduced into the warm and wet environment of a hot tub is an invitation for trouble. Illness can be caused by failure to adhere to this important guideline. Child safety has many facets where hot tubs are concerned; but unquestionably this is also for the health and safety of everyone involved.
