The dangers of ball bathing that parents need to be aware of & bull; hello healthy

Ball pool in the mall or playground can be a paradise for young children. Your little one will probably rejoice as they slide off the slide and “dive into a pile of colorful plastic balls. However, did you know that this ball pool has health risks that should not be underestimated?

The ball pool is a hotbed of bacteria

The ball pool is actually the dirtiest place that is also a hotbed for bacteria. The number of people who come and go in the area may carry germs that you never knew before.

A study conducted by experts from StemProtect.co.uk shows that there is a lot of dirt that is widespread in the ball bath. According to several workers in the UK who were involved in the study, many children accidentally vomited, peed, and even defecated while playing a ball bath.

Not only that, food or drinks that are scattered in the area also make the area even more dirty. The bad news is, intensive cleaning efforts on the part of the management are very rare.

This is confirmed by Dr. Kelly Reynolds, Professor of Public Health at the University of Arizona College. Quoting the Parents page, Dr. Reynolds said that the ball pool is in playground Fast food restaurants, gyms, or other public places are rarely cleaned. As a result, it is very possible that the area is filled with various harmful bacteria.

Playing ball baths can also trigger latex allergies

Quoted from the WebMD page, some children can also experience severe allergic reactions due to the latex used on mattresses (foam pads) in ball pools. Yes, experts say that for children who do have a history of latex allergy, it is the latex coating on the mattress that can be at risk of becoming a problem.

According to the allergy expert from New York University Medical Center, Dr Clifford Bassett, latex allergy can be very serious. In early cases, the skin may only have a red rash. However, in severe cases, the child can experience a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction.

Dr Bassett added, parents are asked to watch out for signs of an allergic reaction in children after they play a ball bath. If your little one already has a congenital latex allergy, you should avoid playing ball baths altogether.

Tips for safe playing ball bath for your little one

As a parent, you need to be careful and thorough when you want to invite your little one to play on playground aka a special play area for children. Especially if he asks for a ball bath. Now, to avoid various bad possibilities as described above, here are some safe tips to invite children to play in the ball pool:

1. Look at the cleanliness of the play area

Before allowing your child to enter the play area, make sure you do a hygiene inspection first. Look at the cleanliness of the game area as a whole, starting from the condition of the balls, the mat, to the presence or absence of trash around the playing area. If the play area smells bad, the balls and mattresses look very dirty, and there is a lot of trash scattered about, then you should avoid taking children to play there.

To ensure the cleanliness of the area, you can also ask the officers or managers at the location directly. Ask the staff how often the game area is cleaned and whether the area is sprayed with germs every day or not. These two questions are important to raise for the comfort and safety of your little one playing in the area.

If it is mentioned that the ball bath is not cleaned every day, you should think again about inviting your little one to play there.

2. Accompany your little one while playing

Toddlers are certainly happy when they know they will be invited to come playground to play ball bath. However, never let them play alone. You have to guard and monitor him during the ball bath. You can go into the area to hold your little one so that he doesn't fall while walking and get buried in the ball when he comes down from the slide.

How many playground usually includes a rule that toddlers must be accompanied by an adult when playing.

3. Don't play when crowded with visitors

You better not choose playgroun d which is busy with visitors. The reason is, the number of people in the area can increase the risk of children falling and being buried in the ball. Yes, when the play area is filled with many people, the children's space is limited. As a result, children may clash with other children.

In many cases, the risk of accident during the ball bath occurs when the child is standing under the slide while another child is sliding at high speed. Therefore, ask your little one to avoid standing right under the slide when there are other children who want to slide.

4. Remove all accessories and other objects from the child's body

The area manager will usually ask every child who wants to play ball bath to take off his shoes and wear special socks. Also, don't forget to remove all accessories and jewelery that are attached to the child's body, as well as the things in his pocket.

Objects such as hairpins that are loosely attached can come off and actually injure your little one when he collides with other children. Not only that, accessories such as necklaces may also wrap around your little one's neck when he is sliding down from a slide into the ball pool.

So, make sure before playing ball bath all accessories used by children are removed.

5. Encourage children to wash their hands after playing

After being satisfied playing, don't immediately take your little one to eat or go home. Instead, take your little one to the toilet to wash his hands. If the location of the toilet is too far away, you can wipe your little one's hands and face with a wet tissue, then dry using a dry tissue or towel.

If necessary, you can bathe your little one or replace the clothes and socks he has worn during the ball bath. Various things are done to prevent bacteria from sticking to the child's body.

Not only when playing ball bath, maintaining children's cleanliness is also absolutely necessary every time you finish inviting your little one to play on playground.

Create your own ball pool at home

Instead of having to leave the house to play on playground which is paid, you can make your own ball pool at home. Besides being safer, bathing balls at home is certainly cheaper.

To make it, you will need a plastic swimming pool and a small plastic ball. You can also add water to the plastic pool so that your little one can swim at the same time. When you're done playing, don't forget to wash the ball and plastic pool thoroughly.

Making your own ball pool at home is certainly more hygienic because you make sure it is clean yourself.

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