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Good pool practices when swimming with your children reduce the chance of recreational water illness |
Healthy swimming and water recreation tips
Make your next visit to the pool healthier and safer
- Six CDC 'Pleas' for Healthy Swimming
- CDC Questions & Answers for Swimmers
- Healthy Swimming Tips brochure (pdf)
English Spanish Russian - Protecting against water-related injury(CDC)
- Kids' swimming safety begins with adults Detroit News.com article
Swimming in oceans, lakes and rivers
Swimming in cool water can offer relief from hot summer temperatures. However, swimming in untreated water — such as lakes and rivers — can result in unpleasant side effects from swimmer’s itch and intestinal infections. To avoid illnesses from bacteria and small organisms that thrive in untreated water:
- Do not swallow untreated water. Keep your mouth closed when playing in the water.
- Avoid swimming in slow-moving water that is warm and murky.
- Do not swim in grossly contaminated water — containing dead animals and fish, animal or human waste.
- Towel off thoroughly and shower with soap and water after returning home. This will rid your skin of larva that penetrate the skin and cause itching.
What to know before you go to the beach
- Avoiding "swimmer's itch"(CDC)
- Links to EPA information about US beaches
- Protect your skin from too much "fun in the sun" (CDC)
- Kidshealth.org for teens: Making water safety a splash
Recreational water illnesses (RWIs)
Reduce the chance of getting a water-related illness
- CDC information for the general public
- What are RWIs?(CDC)
- What is hot tub rash?(CDC)
- Don't get "swimmer's ear"
- I play guidelines for safe swimming with your baby
For pool owners, operators and staff
Recommendations for protecting patrons from RWIs
