Toddler Recovering From Mild Cold - Ok to Go In Kiddie Pool? Posted: 08-09-07 16:09pm
Hello everyone,
Our daughter had/has a mild cold. It
started with some sinus congestion and
then moved down into her chest. My wife
took her to the doctor and she said that
it was a pretty mild cold, but gave us a
prescription for some syrup to be sure
that the congestion loosened up, which it
seems to be doing.
After this doctor visit, we had a warm
day, about 80 degrees F, and I thought it
would be fun if we let our daughter (she
will be three on Aug. 24) splash around in
the little kiddie pool we have for her.
The water's not even a foot deep, and the
water temperature was about regular
temperature for an outdoor pool. No
other kids were in the pool. The water
was fresh. Our daughter wasn't even
interested in putting her face/head below
the water, so she never really was in
there below the neck. Her hair never got
wet. The pool sits in the open sun.
My wife was worried that having her in the
pool off and on for 90-120 mins. (max) put
our daughter at risk - that the cold would
get worse, or develop into something else
(like pneumonia or something). Our
daughter is coughing a bit (2-8 coughs
several times a day - no more than 5 times
a day - pretty mild, in my view), and the
coughs sound "loose" and "productive" as
my mom the nurse would call them. The
only small problem is that our daughter
doesn't think about - sorry to be gross -
hack up the phlegm and spit it out, when
possible. From the first sign to now,
she's had the cold about a week, but I
think she's definitely in her last 48
hours. Other than the mild coughing she
has no other symptoms. She's happy and
playful and the coughing doesn't seem to
bother her, and it doesn't keep her from
sleeping or napping.
What do you think? Was it wrong, risky to
let her splash and wade around in this
pool? Should we do it again?
HELP! Thanks!
|
susie3827
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 25 Jun 2007 Posts: 57 Location: Michigan, Displaced Canadian
Thanks: 1
Thanked:0
Posted: 08-09-07 22:48pm
I would say that everything you did was
absolutely fine.
It is an old wives tale that if you go
outside in the winter with wet hair, that
you can catch a cold/pneumonia...did you
know that????
You cannot 'catch' a cold by splashing in
the water, nor will it make the cold any
worse.
Colds are caught thru hand/mouth,
so.....splash away there.....
And, if her cough is 'productive' that is
a good sign..and..if she swallows the
phlegm...that is ok too...it won't hurt
her..ok?
Susie.
|
Small Town Dad
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 3
Posted: 08-15-07 05:22am
Thanks, Susie!
I see you're a registered nurse, and I
think your professional opinion is valid
and correct. I appreciate your input.
Anyone else here agree (or disagree) with
this advice??
Today it's about 83F, and I'd like to take
her to the big pool to let her try it out.
She just has the very last traces of her
cough (coughs 2-3 times per day, 2-3
coughs each time, quite loose phlegm).
This would be okay, right??
I want to be careful and cautious with my
daughter's health, but I think my lovely
wife's caution borders on paranoia
here...
Thanks,
Small Town Dad
|
susie3827
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 25 Jun 2007 Posts: 57 Location: Michigan, Displaced Canadian
Thanks: 1
Thanked:0
Posted: 08-15-07 21:39pm
Dad: I just saw your post tonight, so
this message comes AFTER your decision to
take her to the big pool or not....
Did you take her???
My answer would have been a heart-felt
YES!!!!!!!!! by all means..go and
splish/splash like there was no
tomorrow..lol....
Like I said..colds do not come from things
like being in a hot place, and then
putting the body into something cold...
the old saying "Bundle up, or you'll catch
a cold" is just an old wives tale..Tell
your wife there is absolutely no truth to
it.
I would be more concerned about her
drinking from a common water fountain,
than being outside with a 'cold'...you
don't know what germs are on that water
fountain if she happens to accidently
touch her lips or mouth to the top of the
spigit.
Or...I would be more worried about her
playing with a toy that was from a child
who had had a cold, than splashing around
in the pool.
Tell your wife, don't worry...colds are as
common as apple pie, and although they CAN
lead to something serious...in all
likelihood, with the average child, in
good overall health, there will be no
untoward effects.
I have to know....
did you go or not????
Please reply at your earliest
convenience.
Thanks,
Susie.
|
Small Town Dad
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 3
Yes, We Went to the Pool Posted: 08-16-07 13:25pm
Hello again!
Yeah, yesterday we took her to the public
swimming pool. She was in the kiddie pool
for a while (which, frankly I think was a
bit riskier than the adult pool, as I
think the shallow water there doesn't get
filtrated quite as thoroughly for some
reason), and then I took her for an
accompanied "swim" in the big pool. I did
try to keep her face out of the water, but
at one point (when she was hanging on to a
sidebar), she did dip under for just a
moment, but I doubt it posed much risk.
And today we had her in the little wading
pool at our house.
She STILL has that darn cough - 3-4 times
per day, 1-4 coughs each time - and it
still sounds loose and "productive" but
it's just not finishing. I think we'll go
back to the doctor in a couple days if
it's not gone (as she will have had this
cold a bit over 2 weeks). She has NO
other symptoms and is happy and active
otherwise. I'm not worried about this
cough, but I would like it to finally
finish up.
(BTW, we live in southeast Poland - just
in case you were wondering who's on this
forum. My wife is Polish and I'm an
English teacher. The pools are up to
snuff, healthwise, with most that I've
seen in the U.S. Actually, in some
respects they're nicer. Medical care is
basically close to American standards,
unless you might need some high-level
surgery for some obscure problem)
Thanks agains for the advice!
-Small Town Dad
(who just realized that his stupid
username choice abbreviates as "STD" -
brilliant!)
