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Baby swimming pools fuel worries
By Cai Wenjun and Li Wei |
August 25, 2010, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
LOCAL health officials said yesterday that they will soon kick off a citywide investigation into baby swimming houses, which generally offer each baby a swimming tub. Such swimming facilities are new and not included in Shanghai's health supervision network.
The investigation is to study the true situation of how the infant swimming facilities operate. The information will be passed on to national or local health authorities to issue regulations on running such facilities, their disinfection standards and staff qualification in an effort to protect children's health and prevent disease, officials said.
Shanghai now has some 30 such swimming facilities, including those at maternity hospitals and privately run units. It costs about 20 to 50 yuan (US$7.36) per visit.
Zhong Yue, an official with the Huangpu District Health Supervision Agency, said there are no preconditions for opening such baby swimming houses as of now.
"But we have raised awareness on the issue and are working on a risk evaluation table to fully study the current practice of these facilities," Zhong said. "Babies could be at risk if the facilities are not properly disinfected or if babies share one tub or staff have health problems."
She said the new regulation will also include limits on the number of parents who can stay with their babies in the swimming room to avoid the spread of infectious diseases due to overcrowding.
Currently the nation only has health regulations on public swimming pools, beach swimming facilities and water amusement parks.
Parents have welcomed the baby swimming facilities while expressing concern over hygiene and health.
"I found that some swimming pools don't change the water after one baby finishes using the tub," a parent using the pseudonym nonojianming told a child-raising website.
Fu Lanling, of the Shanghai No. 1 Maternity and Child Health Hospital, said the hospital has been offering swimming facilities for babies for years.
"All staff at the swimming center are licensed nurses with skills in pediatric caring and first aid," Fu said.
Xu Feng, manager of the Hedbaby baby swimming house in the Pudong New Area, said it uses drinking water in its tubs and air filters to clean the indoor air. "There is no special health certificate for infant swimming houses in China now," he suggested.
The investigation is to study the true situation of how the infant swimming facilities operate. The information will be passed on to national or local health authorities to issue regulations on running such facilities, their disinfection standards and staff qualification in an effort to protect children's health and prevent disease, officials said.
Shanghai now has some 30 such swimming facilities, including those at maternity hospitals and privately run units. It costs about 20 to 50 yuan (US$7.36) per visit.
Zhong Yue, an official with the Huangpu District Health Supervision Agency, said there are no preconditions for opening such baby swimming houses as of now.
"But we have raised awareness on the issue and are working on a risk evaluation table to fully study the current practice of these facilities," Zhong said. "Babies could be at risk if the facilities are not properly disinfected or if babies share one tub or staff have health problems."
She said the new regulation will also include limits on the number of parents who can stay with their babies in the swimming room to avoid the spread of infectious diseases due to overcrowding.
Currently the nation only has health regulations on public swimming pools, beach swimming facilities and water amusement parks.
Parents have welcomed the baby swimming facilities while expressing concern over hygiene and health.
"I found that some swimming pools don't change the water after one baby finishes using the tub," a parent using the pseudonym nonojianming told a child-raising website.
Fu Lanling, of the Shanghai No. 1 Maternity and Child Health Hospital, said the hospital has been offering swimming facilities for babies for years.
"All staff at the swimming center are licensed nurses with skills in pediatric caring and first aid," Fu said.
Xu Feng, manager of the Hedbaby baby swimming house in the Pudong New Area, said it uses drinking water in its tubs and air filters to clean the indoor air. "There is no special health certificate for infant swimming houses in China now," he suggested.
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