How To Properly Manage Swim Diapers And Swim Pants

Both swim diapers and swim pants are useful for taking young children to the pool because they allow the kids to be in the water without putting so much contamination in the pool water. However, this does not mean that germs cannot leak out of the diapers at all, especially if the child has diarrhea. There are certain steps you should take to ensure the safety of all swimmers and the avoidance of recreational water illnesses (RWIs).

Who Should Know This Information?

If you’re a parent or caretaker of a young child who wears a swim diaper or swim pants to the pool, you should read on to see what you can do to keep your child and others safe from the spread of germs.

What Do You Do If…?

The child has diarrhea?

Any child with diarrhea should be kept out of the pool. This is true for people of all ages as well, as diarrhea can quickly cause the spread of germs that will cause others to have diarrhea.

The child goes in the diaper or swim pants?

If the child is peeing in the diaper, it should be changed at regular intervals while they are swimming. If the child poops in the diaper, it should be changed immediately to prevent contamination.

Tips On Germ Control With Swim Diapers & Swim Pants

• Diapers should be changed a minimum of once per hour. Call all of your children out of the pool for bathroom breaks and any diaper changes at this time.
• Swim diapers and swim pants do not stop the leakage of diarrhea germs into the pool water. They also cannot stop germs from poop getting into the water either, so it’s best to change this immediately. Swimmers with diarrhea should not be allowed in the water.
• Change diapers away from the pool area to stop the spread of germs. Wash your hands well after changing the diapers and dispose of them properly.
• Make sure the swim diapers and pants are properly fitted to the child. Large diapers might slip off and create openings that will allow water to carry away germs from inside. Small diapers may cause discomfort for the child or break as they are moving around in the pool.
• Chlorine cannot bind to the urine germs instantly, and for each particle the chlorine binds to there will be less in the pool for other germ removal. This is why it’s important to change diapers frequently instead of letting them swim for hours without a change.

Summary

Swim diapers and swim pants can be great for helping children of all ages enjoy swimming in the pool, but you have to remember that they should still be changed very regularly to keep the pool as clean as possible. Any child with diarrhea still should not go into the pool water, even with a diaper or swim pants on, but otherwise following the tips here can help make the swimming experience safe for your child and other swimmers.