Prairie State Wire

As the Memorial Day weekend and outdoor swimming season approach, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is marking Healthy and Safe Swimming Week by reminding the public to take precautions to avoid risks such as drowning, spreading disease, and pool chemical injuries. This year's theme emphasizes the importance of basic swimming and water safety skills training in keeping children and adults safe around water.

“Swimming is a favorite summer pastime – one that provides fun and health benefits for Illinoisans of all ages,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “However, unsafe swimming can be dangerous, whether it is in a swimming pool or in natural bodies of water like rivers or lakes. Sadly, drownings are one of the leading causes of deaths in children, especially those under 4. I encourage all Illinois residents – particularly those responsible for young children - to follow safe swimming practices to prevent drowning. One critical practice is encouraging swimming lessons for children. I ask all parents of young children to seek opportunities in their communities to build this critical life-saving skill.”

A recent CDC study reviewed 20 years of data and found that drowning was the number one killer nationally of children aged 1-4 years and the number two killer among unintentional injury deaths for children aged 0-17.

Following are some safe swimming tips:

- Ensure children have swimming lessons and are closely supervised at all times.

- Swimming pools should be fully enclosed by fencing with self-closing and self-latching gates.

- Life jackets reduce the risk of drowning while boating for people of all ages.

IDPH notes that diarrhea is the most common cause of recreational water illness (RWI). Anyone with symptoms should avoid swimming as just one diarrheal or vomiting accident can release millions of germs into the water. If other swimmers swallow contaminated water, it can cause diarrhea lasting up to three weeks.

Crypto (short for Cryptosporidium) is a gastrointestinal illness causing diarrhea and is a leading cause of outbreaks linked to pools and water parks. Crypto can survive in chlorinated pools for more than a week. Other germs causing illness include Giardia, norovirus, Shigella, Legionnaire’s Disease, and E. coli. RWIs can also result from chemicals added to treat water.

Here are some tips swimmers should take to avoid swim-related diseases:

- Don’t swim or let your kids swim if they have had diarrhea in the past two weeks.

- Avoid getting water in your mouth.

- Check out pool inspection reports.

- Take kids on bathroom breaks every 60 minutes.

- Check diapers every 30–60 minutes; change them away from waterside areas.

- Shower before entering the water.

Another concern is pool chemical safety. Pool owners/operators should know how to safely use chemicals and store them out of reach from children and pets.

Swimming in lakes comes with unique risks such as amoeba and algae exposure. To reduce illness chances:

- Limit water intake through your nose by holding it or using nose clips when diving or skiing.

- Avoid putting your head underwater; don’t stir up mud/scum while swimming in warm freshwater areas.

- Respect beach closures due to contamination signs like foam or algae mats on surfaces.

For boating safety, IDPH reminds boaters always wear life jackets and operate boats soberly; Jet Skis pose additional risks if used under influence.

To protect public health, IDPH licenses/regulates over 3,200 state-swimming facilities ensuring they meet quality/safety standards including engineering design criteria covering pools/spas/beaches/water supplies/preparation areas/treatment systems.

For facility status checks use IDPH Swimming Facility Search tool; learn about beach health statuses via online Illinois Beach Guard System.

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