While water parks are great family fun on a hot summer day, a recent study from the University of Michigan has found the few parents enforce the shower-before-pool rules.
Many parents do not understand risk of water infections from pools and water parks or recognize the role showering plays in preventing infections
The university’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital national poll on children’s health asked parents of elementary school kids about their perceptions of water park risks and their opinions about basic water park rules. The sample included families who have taken their children to water parks within the past year.
“While 64 percent of parents feel it is very important for children to not swallow the water at a water park, only 26 percent of parents think it is very important to shower before getting in the water,” says Dr Matthew Davis.
“Parents seem to understand the risk of contaminated water for their kids but few have their kids take the necessary preventive steps to keep everyone healthy.”
A simple shower would reduce the spread of infection and disease in water parks, which affects around 10,000 people each year in the States.