Little Swimmers for Toddlers in Pool?

[HurricaneSally]

I thought the rule said three years old AND potty trained. Not two years old and potty trained.

[Missybud]

Seven years ago, a family outting, where I don't know. Brother, sister and cousin presented very sick! Mystery illness. Little girl was a beautiful, sweet child. Son shipped out to the "Big Teach". Sister transferred to ICU, cousin at a different hospital. Sister eventually transferred.

 

Result=all 3 with E.coli sepsis.

Result=Mom lost her daughter, son did survive. Cousin did not. 2 out of 3

 

I do not portend to know all, only that which I witness. This was one of the saddest times of my nursing career.

 

I see blood culture reports with E.coli positive. Not everyone dies, but I do not want to be in one of those beds struggling to survive.

 

(HIPAA compliant)

[bmgaritty]

I think I'm going to focus the next 2 months potty training my daugther so we don't have to worry about this by the time April comes around. In addition, if she isn't trained, we'll just stick around where she can splash - the splash pool - pad - whatever you call it.

Do you realize that your child must be potty trained for this also? No swimmers, etc. Please don't endanger other children if she is not potty trained.....

 

BUT - I must say, that to be even more vigilant, parents of children that are potty trained, should still make their children wear little swimmers. I think they should be used for children atleast up to 4 or 5 years old as a preventative measure because sometimes accidents happen - whether or not you are potty trained. Anything preventative is always a good thing.

 

Little swimmers aren't allowed period.- don't you get that the water flows through them and thus comes in contact with the BM? It's the same as having a BM in the bathing suit - you just don't have to clean it - you throw away the swimmer.

Preventative would be plastic diaper pants.

 

Thanks also to everyone else who provided some good comments. I just hope that my questions didn't enerve people too much. I do believe some of the comments to Jill were a bit much. And like the other poster, I don't know Jill - - - I just know that commenting the way some have may not come across as friendly. Thank you for providing the facts - I appreciate it.

 

Why don't you take some posters advice and use a (smaller than a deck chair) baby pool.

Jill brought on the comments herself by knowingly endangering other children and calling herself accountable for it. Accountable would have been to NOT put the other passengers at containation risk - period.

Cruising is fun - I've done with a potty trained and unpotty trained child. You can work around the issue safely. It's called being a responsible parent.

Have a great trip

[spongerob]

Daniel1313 - I'm not going to argue with your above statement. I can say with certainly however that when my son was in the pool he was absolutely not going to poop. Period. I suppose I don't know exactly when he'll pee (I've got a pretty good idea though - we are that close to being fully trained) but hey, let's not try and pretend that some kids (and hey, adults too) that are potty trained don't pee in the pools. But pee isn't really what they're worried about - that's what chlorine and salt water is for :-)

 

I'm not making excuses though. I appreciate I broke the rules and am certainly accountable for it. I do however sympathize with parents of unpotty trained children who Cruise.

I don't think any of us, no matter how regular we are, maintain predictability on vacation. Changing time zones, different daily schedules, different food and water...there's no way you can be 100% sure about yourself let alone a young child.

 

It's thanks to attitudes that it's okay to break rules that I don't go into public pools. It's a bit like saying, "I'm a good driver so I don't need to slow down for those school zones." It's all about being responsible, and not exposing others to risks.

[bmgaritty]

I don't think any of us, no matter how regular we are, maintain predictability on vacation. Changing time zones, different daily schedules, different food and water...there's no way you can be 100% sure about yourself let alone a young child.

 

It's thanks to attitudes that it's okay to break rules that I don't go into public pools. It's a bit like saying, "I'm a good driver so I don't need to slow down for those school zones." It's all about being responsible, and not exposing others to risks.

 

 

Nice post!

[Pam in CA]

I do however sympathize with parents of unpotty trained children who Cruise.

I can see that you're very sympathetic and that you appreciate the challenges of traveling with young children. I traveled with my daughter from the time she was 3 mo. old. We took her everywhere, including to Europe so I know and understand. I also know and understand how even the best child, even a "Ms. Goody Two Shoes" like my daughter can experience a sudden sickness or unpredictability while traveling. The one thing I learned was to be prepared and that it was my responsibility to make sure my daughter was entertained while respecting the rights of others.

 

I appreciate that you've taken responsibility for having "broken the rules." Unfortunately, many today not only don't admit that but intend to keep breaking them, even while endangering others.

[Travelbug 2]

Being in my 70s I have lived long enough to know what is respectful and what isn't.

 

I just can not understand why anyone would put a toddler with a diaper in a "public" pool on or off a cruise ship. No matter what precautions are taken the risk of an accident is far to great and the potential consequences are unthinkable.

 

What is so terrible about keeping the child out of the pool? Raising children is not defined by a "rule book" but by common sense, why is it that common sense goes out the window in regard to this subject that is always coming up on these boards? I would be very wary of going in a pool on-board a cruise ship unless it was an adult only pool, there are already enough health related problems on cruise ships, this is one risk that could be avoided if people with toddlers would show respect to other passengers.

 

Believe me I love children of all ages but this subject sickens me every time it crops up.

[DocPeggy]

Seven years ago, a family outting, where I don't know. Brother, sister and cousin presented very sick! Mystery illness. Little girl was a beautiful, sweet child. Son shipped out to the "Big Teach". Sister transferred to ICU, cousin at a different hospital. Sister eventually transferred.

 

Result=all 3 with E.coli sepsis.

Result=Mom lost her daughter, son did survive. Cousin did not. 2 out of 3

 

I do not portend to know all, only that which I witness. This was one of the saddest times of my nursing career.

 

I see blood culture reports with E.coli positive. Not everyone dies, but I do not want to be in one of those beds struggling to survive.

 

(HIPAA compliant)

 

E.coli can be deadly, and does kill sometimes. What you saw was indeed a tragedy. But we don't know if the victims got sick from a toddler pooping in the pool on a cruise ship, do we? My point is let's not use the scare tactics to inflame people's emotion on this subject. People can get sick from many sources from babies and toddlers, and adults alike. Toddlers with diapers should not be allowed in the pool because it's simply against the rule, not because it significantly increases the chances of spreading E.coli! Calculating the changes in probability with an acceptable confidence interval would be an interesting exercise . . .

 

Spending enough time in the hospital and we will see lots of terrible situations but that is not a good reflection of what's happening on a cruise ship. Personally, I will feel perfectly safe to cruise with my family including our young child. But we will not frequent most pools onboard regardless if there is a kid with swimmer in it or not. That is just common sense.

[HurricaneSally]

E.coli can be deadly, and does kill sometimes. What you saw was indeed a tragedy. But we don't know if the victims got sick from a toddler pooping in the pool on a cruise ship, do we? My point is let's not use the scare tactics to inflame people's emotion on this subject. People can get sick from many sources from babies and toddlers, and adults alike. Toddlers with diapers should not be allowed in the pool because it's simply against the rule, not because it significantly increases the chances of spreading E.coli! Calculating the changes in probability with an acceptable confidence interval would be an interesting exercise . . .

 

Spending enough time in the hospital and we will see lots of terrible situations but that is not a good reflection of what's happening on a cruise ship. Personally, I will feel perfectly safe to cruise with my family including our young child. But we will not frequent most pools onboard regardless if there is a kid with swimmer in it or not. That is just common sense.

 

 

I think the point that most people are missing, is that cruiseships don't chlorinate their pools the way public pools are chlorinated, thus more precaution is needed.

[Missybud]

E.coli can be deadly, and does kill sometimes. What you saw was indeed a tragedy. But we don't know if the victims got sick from a toddler pooping in the pool on a cruise ship, do we? My point is let's not use the scare tactics to inflame people's emotion on this subject. People can get sick from many sources from babies and toddlers, and adults alike. Toddlers with diapers should not be allowed in the pool because it's simply against the rule, not because it significantly increases the chances of spreading E.coli! Calculating the changes in probability with an acceptable confidence interval would be an interesting exercise . . .

 

Spending enough time in the hospital and we will see lots of terrible situations but that is not a good reflection of what's happening on a cruise ship. Personally, I will feel perfectly safe to cruise with my family including our young child. But we will not frequent most pools onboard regardless if there is a kid with swimmer in it or not. That is just common sense.

 

Makes no difference...E. coli is E. coli, whether injested with food or swallowed in pool water. It only takes ONE incident. Let's keep it at 0. That's why the rule was put into place. Key word...RULE!

[Hanah481]

I think a previous poster had said something about why should people follow the rule of not letting kids in the pool with swimmers. People break other rules like bringing booze when they are not supposed too... My reaction to that is when people do not follow the booze rule, they are not putting other passengers health at risk by not following the rule. Not that it is okay to pick and choose what rules to follow and which ones to break but.......

[Seal]

WOW--I have just read this thread--I am old enough to not even have grandchildren that are NOT potty trained

 

This situation is certainly not going away--as an adult that usually goes in the pool on the ship--I guess I need to pay greater attention to small children in the pool

 

I do realize that people are very lax about potty training their children these days--probably due to disposable diapers--my children couldn't even go to nursery school without being TOTALLY toilet trained.

 

There are probably very few venues that todays parents NEED to have their children potty trained--the kids just get older and older with diapers.

 

I do realize that it can sometimes be a pain to potty train a child--Maybe, if I knew my child neede to be potty trained for some purpose--(pools on ships)

 

Considering I'm from a different generation--all were trained well before 2 years of age--The funny thing about this--is that this brings up my lack of knowledge when my children were of this age--they swam at home with no swim suit at all--guess we were lucky that no one became ill from this practice--no fecal matter was in the pool--that could have been seen--anything else--who knows???

 

Guess I'll have to pay more attention to children in the pool--kids sit in the shallow water area and play--that water goes directly into the pool.

 

Thanks for everyones honesty about this matter--but--what parents want to put their children into a fecal laden childrens pool.

 

Hard Job for parents

 

Great cruising to all--including your children

 

Nancy:D

[LARGIN]

For those that want to know..

 

From the CDC Vessel Sanitation Operations Manual, dated August 2005

 

Fecal Accident Plan

 

Pool or Whirlpool Spa (Recirculation Mode)

 

1. Close pool-remove patrons from pool

2. Scoop out feces (stool) and dispose of in toilet

3. Increase Halogen residual as appropriate depending on whether the feces were lose or formed to (See table below)

4. Backwash filters or change filter media

5. Discharge water. If in port hold until 12 mile mark.

6. Clean and scrub surfaces of pool/spa

7. Rinse and refill Pool/Spa

8. Follow normal pool operational procedures

 

Table 1 Residual and Contact Time Table Loose Stool

 

1. Chlorine Residual 10 PPM … 16 hours

2. Chlorine Residual 20 PPM … 8 hours

3. Chlorine Residual 50 PPM … 3.5 hours

4. Chlorine Residual 100 PPM .. 1.5 hours

 

Table 2 Residual and Contact Time Table Formed Stool

 

1. Chlorine Residual 2 PPM … 25 minutes

[Colo Cruiser]

WOW--I have just read this thread--I am old enough to not even have grandchildren that are NOT potty trained

 

This situation is certainly not going away--as an adult that usually goes in the pool on the ship--I guess I need to pay greater attention to small children in the pool

 

I do realize that people are very lax about potty training their children these days--probably due to disposable diapers--my children couldn't even go to nursery school without being TOTALLY toilet trained.

 

There are probably very few venues that todays parents NEED to have their children potty trained--the kids just get older and older with diapers.

 

I do realize that it can sometimes be a pain to potty train a child--Maybe, if I knew my child neede to be potty trained for some purpose--(pools on ships)

 

Considering I'm from a different generation--all were trained well before 2 years of age--The funny thing about this--is that this brings up my lack of knowledge when my children were of this age--they swam at home with no swim suit at all--guess we were lucky that no one became ill from this practice--no fecal matter was in the pool--that could have been seen--anything else--who knows???

 

Guess I'll have to pay more attention to children in the pool--kids sit in the shallow water area and play--that water goes directly into the pool.

 

Thanks for everyones honesty about this matter--but--what parents want to put their children into a fecal laden childrens pool.

 

Hard Job for parents

 

Great cruising to all--including your children

 

Nancy:D

 

 

It does not matter whether they are potty trained or not, an infant or even a small child can get carried away with excitement in the pool and are much more likely to have an accident.

 

As a small child being potty trained it does not mean a thing in my book they will go when and where they need to go. :rolleyes: