Monday, January 18, 2010

Hot Tubs and Children - A Safe Mix? (Hot Tub Safety)

Hot Tub Safety

By Ned D'Agostino

Belize 2500LS Hot Tub Lounger Spa

Kids love to play in the water. And hot tubs seem like a good way to do this, even for smaller children, because they are not deep. But hot tubs and children are not always a good mix unless you follow a few simple safety precautions.

The obvious thing to state is that children should not have access to water, no matter how shallow, without proper supervision. And while this may seem difficult to accomplish, it's really not. And the easiest way to keep your children out when you are not around is by purchasing a lockable cover.

But it will take more than that. You have to use some common sense here. What happens if you are watching your child in the hot tub and the phone rings inside? Most people will get up and go answer it. After all, you are only going to be gone a minute. But a minute is all it takes for something to happen. If you have to go away for any reason, even for a very brief time period, bring the child along with you.

You also need to watch the water temperature. Your child's skin is not as thick as yours, and it's easy for him or her to become overheated. Symptoms like dizziness and lightheaded-ness can lead to drowning. If the water temperature in your tub is 104 degrees or higher, do not leave your youngster in for more than 5 minutes. If you are giving proper supervision it will be fairly easy to notice is your child is becoming a bit disoriented. Don't count on him to notice because chances are he won't.

One final thing. In certain environments a hot tub is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. If your child has any open wounds, he should not go in the tub. The same goes for a child that is not potty trained. As the bacteria spreads and grows a serious illness can result. Keep the proper chemicals on hand and always monitor the Ph levels.

Kids are still developing antibodies and are more susceptible to germs. A child that is not potty trained can contaminate the water in a way that will make him sick, as well as everybody else that enters the tub. Hot tubs and children can get along just fine as long as the supervising adult is responsible and practices good hot tub safety.

And easy way to keep your child out of the hot tub is to keep him preoccupied doing something else he loves. A wood swing set is perfect for this. Even small swing sets will keep your child happy for hours while you watch him play from the relaxing comfort of your hot tub.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ned_D'Agostino

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