Ah, the Splash Park. It seems like the perfect idea, especially during these hot summer days. It gives our little ones a chance to engage with other kids without the worry of deep waters, and it also offers the perfect change of scenery for moms looking for an affordable, fun activity.
But while our little ones are preoccupied by the interactive sprinkler pads and shooting water jets, what should we worry about? Because, as a parent, there’s always something.
It’s called hand, foot and mouth disease — or better known as the coxsackie virus. Usually, coxsackie is spread from person to person via unwashed hands and surfaces contaminated by feces. Symptoms can include, but are not limited to: a sore throat, fever, poor appetite, and a runny nose. After one or two days of these symptoms, a blister-like rash may appear on the hands, feet, and mouth. In recent years, the rash has been seen on arms, legs, trunk, and buttocks as well.
Over the counter medication is recommended for pain.
According to NBC News, local doctors have warned that the water in these splash parks and community pools contribute to spreading this highly contagious disease that puts children, particularly infants and toddlers, at risk.
“All you can do, especially as a parent, is make sure your kids are not swallowing the water, because there is a lot of bacteria in that water, even if its fully chlorinated,” said Dr. Comilla Sasson. “Make sure they are washing their hands right away, that they are not touching their hands or face, or other people’s things as well. A lot of it is, unfortunately, bad luck.”
While the virus is not fatal and symptoms may only last for about a week, parents want to make sure to treat the illness properly to avoid other complications. One of the biggest concerns is dehydration. Since blisters can appear in the mouth, many children may refuse to eat or drink.
“I don’t care how they get liquids into them whether it’s by syringe or by spoon or whether it’s a popsicle. But just continue to give them liquids so that they don’t get dehydrated, because that’s what makes them end up in the emergency room,” said Doctor Cutler, as reported by Click 2.
While we wait for the virus to subside, we want to make sure we take other precautions to kill off the contaminants and not spread it to others. It is highly recommended to keep washing our hands and wiping down all toys.
