The weather is getting warmer and it’s peak season for taking the family to the water park. As a parent, it's important to know what to look for if you are planning a trip to an indoor or outdoor water park and how to keep your family safe and healthy.
“As a parent of three young boys, I know how much kids love water parks. Good pool hygiene is to shower before entering the pool and then give yourself a good scrub with soap after you are done swimming for the day,” said Dr. Rami Khoury, Emergency Medicine physician and one of our physician owners of IEP Urgent Care.
“Most accidents at water parks involve slip and fall injuries on wet surfaces, and waterslide injuries. Both can be prevented by following park rules, walking slowly on wet surfaces, and sticking to feet first down the waterslide.”
IEP Urgent Care has seven locations in Metro Detroit, open seven days a week, and we’re well-equipped to diagnose and treat a variety of sprains, fractures, allergic reactions, or gastrointestinal issues, all of which can be risks at the water park if you don’t follow some basic common-sense guidelines during your visit:
Know the rules and follow them
Water slides are the number one cause of injuries at water parks. In 2015, 4,200 people visited hospitals for water park-related injuries with the most common being scrapes, cuts, broken bones, concussions, and spinal injuries. Always pay attention to size and weight restrictions on water park rides. Also, pay attention to the maximum number of riders allowed. Make sure your children understand the need to follow the rules.
Stay clean to prevent water-borne illness
Even highly-chlorinated water can harbor harmful bacteria - make sure your children stay clean and don’t ever go in the water if you’ve had diarrhea or stomach illness of any kind. Shower before and after going in a public pool, and teach your children to never drink the pool water.
Protect Your Skin and your Feet
Always wear sunscreen to protect your skin from UV rays - a good waterproof sunscreen will prevent a sunburn and is essential in the long-term to avoid skin cancer. Make sure you and your children are always wearing flip-flops, sandals, or water shoes to protect the soles of your feet from hot pavement and other hazards - water shoes are highly recommended as they can be worn at all times when your child is in the pool.
Always Supervise!
Water parks are not federally-regulated for safety - they rely on states to regulate, which means that some water parks have little-to-no safety oversight. Don’t rely on the staff of the water park to watch out for your children: always keep them within sight, and pay attention to anything that looks unsafe.