Photo by DragonLuv
A few weeks ago, Cafe Kim wrote about parents who wouldn't let their kids play in the sandbox at the park because it can be filled with excrement from rodents and insects. Gross, right? Well, now a new study says that beach sand can get kids sick too. Here's the deal.
Most of us know that swimming in nasty ocean water can make us sick. In fact, beaches usually close down whenever there's a sewage spill. But the new research says that playing in the sand next to "bad" water can be even worse for you.
Researchers surveyed more than 25,000 people who visited beaches within seven miles of sewage treatment plants, and asked them what they did at the beach and whether they had been sick since then.
They found that beachgoers who dug in the sand were significantly more likely to report having been sick, and people who had been "buried in the sand" got sickest. Adults did get sick, but children seemed to be at greater risk.
To be safe, keep your toddler's hands clean and be sure to wash them before he eats—especially if he'll be eating at the beach. And of course, try not to let your kid eat sand.
Has your toddler gotten sick (vomiting, diarrhea) after a trip to the beach?
