WEDNESDAY, July 5, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- A dip in a pool, stream or lake on a hot summer day is refreshing, but take some precautions to avoid bacteria and parasites that might lurk in the water.
"One of the worst offenders is the kiddie wading pool," said Dr. Christopher Ohl, a professor of infectious diseases at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C.
"Warm, shallow water and kids in swim diapers -- which don't do a good job of containing feces -- can create a perfect breeding ground for water-borne infections even though the water is chlorinated," he said. "The best way to prevent young children from getting sick is to keep them from swallowing that water."
Ohl offered some other tips:
"Most people don't realize that the tentacles of some jellyfish, especially Portuguese man-of-war, can be 10 to 15 feet long, so keep a safe distance to keep from being stung," Ohl said.
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers health and safety tips for swimmers.