Children in hot tubs/jacuzzis

[mrsminniemouse]

I really do not want to start a debate about this issue. I just want to ask a genuine question.

Are children allowed in the hot tubs near the pools? I thought it was not allowed but DH says it did not say so on the sign near the hot tub at SSR (the one near the pool bar)

Is it unsafe for some reason for children to use hot tubs? At my local health club it says it is not allowed for health reasons. Is it the high temp of the water, the risk of drowning??? Really not sure. I know young children aren't good at regulating body temperature so it could be the heat.

I assume it is safe to let my DD 2 years 8 months in the jacuzzi in the room?

Obviously I dont want to break any rules or do anything unsafe so I thought I would just ask what the rules were.

Thanks for any input.

Mandy

 

[jennypenny]

I can't remember if there is a sign posted or not. In reality, kids are allowed in the hot tubs at WDW.

Disney keeps their *hot* tubs at a much cooler temp than my local spa. I still don't think it's a great idea for kids to be in there too long, but it never feels any warmer than the bath I draw for them at home.

Jenny

 

[Lesley]

The issue is the heat....because children don't regulate body temperature as well its best to limit time in a hot tub. I generally use a 10 minute rule. But kids are allowed in the ones at Disney.

As far as the whirlpool tub in your room, its not going to be any hotter than their normal bath water. You do need to watch out if they have the jets on because there is some drowning risk if their hair would get pulled into the water intake. I generally supervise my girls closely if they have the jets running and I also remind my older dd and show her how that one part sucks water in and she needs to make sure her hair does not go near it. Since its sort of in the middle of the tub its not much of a risk for an adult, but I can see a child possibly getting their hair too close.

Just use common sense, and have fun!

 

[CarolMN]

Talk to your pediatrician - most will say that hot tubs are not a good idea for young children (or pregnant women).

Since you control the temperature and depth of the water in your jacuzzi tub in the room, it shouldn't be any different than giving your child a bath in a regular tub.

I am going to move this to the Families Board - you'll get more answers there, I'm sure.

Best wishes -

 

[mrsminniemouse]

As far as the whirlpool tub in your room, its not going to be any hotter than their normal bath water. You do need to watch out if they have the jets on because there is some drowning risk if their hair would get pulled into the water intake. I generally supervise my girls closely if they have the jets running and I also remind my older dd and show her how that one part sucks water in and she needs to make sure her hair does not go near it. Since its sort of in the middle of the tub its not much of a risk for an adult, but I can see a child possibly getting their hair too close.

Just use common sense, and have fun!

Great point about the hair thanks. DD is nearly 3 so is obviously never left alone in the bath. Generally at a DVC villa I bathe with her to save time as we are usually in a rush to get ready to go out. Still, even if you are there it could be possible for long hair to get tangled in the jets as DD like to 'swim' around and moves a lot. She doesn't like the jets much as they are noisy. At home we put them on really low. But at DVC we put the jets on long enough to create lots of bubbles then switch them off.

DH will be pleased if he can take her in the hot tub by the pool. I agree that at SSR it isn't very hot at all, just like a bath really.

Thanks for the replies.
Mandy

 

[Fishy&2guppies]

Some very close friends of ours had their son die and they believe it was from use of a hot tub. It was at a hotel, not at Disney, and he was going from the hot tub to the pool and he collapsed and had a heart attack. They believe it was from the extreme changes in temperature from going back and forth between the two. I'm not a doctor, this is just what was told to them when the doctor was trying to determine the cause of their son's death. He was 8 years old and had no prior heart conditions. But I guess this was not the first time this has happened either. My friend did say the water in the hot tub was pretty hot, and the water in the pool felt very cold when you got into it after being in the hot tub. Just thought I would pass this along.

 

[Juls]

I would be afraid also of the risk of bacteria in the water. That nice hot wet environment can be a breeding ground. Especially for a young child that would be more at risk by swallowing water, or putting their hands in mouths, rubbing eyes...etc.
I know we clean the jacuzzi in the room ourselves very well before using it. When we were at SSR last year, the hot tubs by quiet pool and spa were fairly hot, I would also not let a small child go directly from hot tub to pool, I would have some "cooling off" time between.

 

[mrsminniemouse]

Some very close friends of ours had their son die and they believe it was from use of a hot tub. It was at a hotel, not at Disney, and he was going from the hot tub to the pool and he collapsed and had a heart attack. They believe it was from the extreme changes in temperature from going back and forth between the two. I'm not a doctor, this is just what was told to them when the doctor was trying to determine the cause of their son's death. He was 8 years old and had no prior heart conditions. But I guess this was not the first time this has happened either. My friend did say the water in the hot tub was pretty hot, and the water in the pool felt very cold when you got into it after being in the hot tub. Just thought I would pass this along.

That is truly terrible. I am so sorry to hear that.

Thank you so much for the warning. I would never have thought of the dangers of moving from the pool to the hot tub.


Mandy

 

[melomouse]

Hi Mandy -

I admit, there are some areas where I'm an over-anxious mom. The jacuzzi tub in the room is entirely different from the public jacuzzi. The jets in your own bathtub work differently and would likely be fun for her.
I guess I've heard/read/seen too many horror stories about kids in jacuzzis - temperatures, jets and drains and bacteria. Much as DS begged to go into one from the time he was 2, I didn't allow it til I think 10. DD has been going in probably since 8. Though I have observed absolutely nothing dangerous per se at any WDW property - except for unruly and unsupervised kids and preteens I have had to tell to behave in jacuzzis - I know that even with her long hair tied back in our pool home last trip, I turned off the jets for DD - the suction and the jets were soooo powerful.
I have also seen parents think it's fun to "dunk" their small kids heads in the jacuzzis - again - this is very unsafe. But that's just me.
As to " rules", I am guessing WDW thinks the tubs are perfectly safe for anyone. I would check with your pediatrician at home and get feedback as well as ask the lifeguards on duty at SSR. My pediatrician did not want DS in any public jacuzzi when he was a toddler because of bacterial factors, but that was also right after one of the Celebrity cruise ships had legionnaire's found in the jacuzzi.So he might have been being extra cautious.
For a number of years, DH and I just took turns in the jacuzzi so the other could be with DS.
As I have said - I may be a bit over-anxious on this issue - I'm the nutso parent who encourages my kids to talk to strangers at WDW and lets them run around in bare feet waaay too much.. go figure!

melomouse

 

[GEM]

Our two year old enjoyed the hot tub at the SSR quiet pool in December. We were out there almost every night, and he loved it. It was WAY too cold to swim in the regular pool, but the hot tub was perfect. It really wasn't all that hot. Heck, he takes baths with me all the time and my water is always that hot. We didn't let him stay in long, maybe 10 minutes or so. And, we were always the only ones in there. (We wouldn't have had him in there if there had been other people, because I would hate for anyone trying to have a relaxing hot tub experience to have to share it with my two year old!) He loved sitting on the steps and plaing with the bubbling water.

 

[HopperFan]

My kids were never permitted to use hot tubs at any hotels other than Disney because I was concerned with lack of care and bacteria and e-coli. Disney takes exceptional care of their pools, tubs and water parks.

At WDW they were permitted in tubs for about 10 minutes at the most BUT always under our supervision and we never went straight from one to the other. I also was always concerned about disturbing others. We never got in if it wasn't a compatible group of people in it. Now that they are teens and have one at home, I let them stay longer, they know the rules.

Our home hot tub, I have let my 9 year old niece in it with supervision (with the temp turned down) but not by 7 year old nieces. We also keep a hook on the railing behind it full of rubberbands. The rule for all girls, even the teens is they pull their hair up. The jets are dangerous. I also keep scissors close by so if someone should get caught, they know - turn off jets and if their face is under water, cut the hair.

The room jacuzzi, like ours at home, is nothing more than a bathtub with jets. My kids have used it at home since younger, but I don't let them use in hotels. If the lines are not flushed with clorox or some other bacteria killer regularly, then the bacteria grows in the lines. I can't visualize the housekeeping flushing jets. I'm not by any means a germ freak, I think they can make you stronger, but it is one of my peeves. What I would do is take a quart of clorox/bacteria cleaner, pour it in a tub of hot water. Run the jets for 10-15 minutes. Drain. Probably be okay with me then

 

[melomouse]

Thanks, hopperfan -
glad to know there are more of my kind out there!!!

 

[DisneyPhD]

I have never understood the whole "germs in hot tubs thing" doesn't heat that level kill germs? Also there are chemicals used to clean it. I mean think about it. Germs grow in warm moist places, but not hot.

Our jet tub at home my kids love. I keep my oldest with the long hair on the otherside away from the in take, she knows to stay away from it.

I let my kids in Disney ones, and ones I don't feel are too hot (lets just say the tub at home we get that hot and they are fine.) I also let them in to warm up, but only for a few min and not running in and out of cold and hot water as the child mentioned before was doing.

Of course I dipped in a few tub tubs while pregnant too (with Dr. consent) but normally just to warm up, and never for long (like 2 min) and never too hot of hot tubs.

Temp really makes a differnce. It needs to be carefully montiored.

For the comfort of others I try not to let my diaper age children get their bums or swim diapers in.

 

[HopperFan]

Most people would think I'm pretty laid back, my house is neat (at least what you can see) but not immaculate, my car is a mess but I live in it, I'm a highly organized volunteer for many but my desk looks like an explosion occured...but I have peeves about certain things......and if it involves my kids, poor things they have alot to put up with (although pizza for breakfast is okay)

 

[HopperFan]

There are all kinds of articles regarding bacteria living in hot water & spas.

"A spa makes a perfect incubator for bacteria, if not cared for properly. Hot water promotes the growth of most types of bacteria."

"Hot tubs and whirlpool baths - because they are warm and moist - can provide a fertile breeding ground for a number of disease-causing organisms, including the Legionella bacteria which causes the sometimes fatal Legionnaires' Disease and a number of less dangerous but still serious diseases such as Pseudomonas, which can cause severe skin rashes, eye and ear infections, and pneumonia. However, these various bacteria can be easily controlled and eliminated by maintaining the disinfectant level..."

Spa/hot tubs usually max out at 104 degrees. My reading has said that even at 140 degrees where the growth of some serious bacteria is slowed it is still not killed. The only way to kill bacteria is with chemical treatment.

The spas must be highly maintained, and the more usuage such as at the resorts, the more ongoing maintanence that is needed. The water will not get hot enough to kill these bacteria, so the chemical balance must be watched closely. The balance is further upset by evaporation due to sitting in the sun, further evaporation from the heat of the water, people sweating in the hot water...

Again I have no problem with hot tubs - we own one - I am just picky about how and where we use them.

 

[GatorGal]

Hot tubs, or spas at resorts are different than jacuzzi tubs in hotel rooms. Jacuzzi tubs you fill up for and drain after each use, while spas are a stand alone tub without plumbing with water kept at a certain tempurature and bacteria is controlled with chemicals. We had a spa at our old house and kept the temp around 99 degrees. My dd's dr explained that the hot temps make their hearts beat too fast. I wasn't too concerned about her body temp since she was in and out of the tub constantly, she didn't just sit there submerged up to her neck like I did. The other concern with kids and hot tubs is their heads going below the surface. I had a very strict rule that no heads went under. I always had dd's hair in a pony tail or braid. While the jets are on, the returns can suck the hair in and create a vacuum, and even if the jets are shut off, the head cannot be removed. If she was in the spa with just me, I would put the jets on, but with other kids, I locked the panel and didn't allow the jets or bubbles to be on. A PP recommend keeping scissors near the tub, excellent idea. The other issue of submerging their heads is knocking them on the contours of the tub. With the jets and air bubbles on, it's hard to see the contours and it's easy to trip.

In a commercial tub you can't know how well the chemicals are monitored. Use your judgement, if the water feels too hot or doesn't smell of chlorine you should probably all avoid it. You should also make a note of where the emergency shut off switch is, just in case.

HTH

 

[cruiserkaren]

Thanks for the heads up about the hair getting caught in the jets. My DD is just 2 and hasn't been in a hot tub, but I have some younger cousins that have been(7 and 9). That just never crossed my mind. I feel kind of silly now, as it seems obvious, but it really hadn't. I'll definitely be more mindful of it and insist they have their hair up!

 

[emerson7]

When I was in high school, we went on a ski trip to a hotel in New Hampshire. I (among others) came down with hot tub folliculitis after a short trip to the pool jacuzzi. I can't believe I remember the name - although I had to look it up to get the spelling right. Here is the definition:

"Hot tub folliculitis is an infection that develops after exposure to certain forms of bacteria that reside in warm, wet environments such as hot tubs. "

It was gross and it is also a good way to ruin a vacation. I imagine Disney would have much cleaner facilities than the place we stayed at, but I would not let my kids go into a hot tub. Not until they go on a chaperoned high school trip w/out me or they stop listening to me, I guess.

 

[Lord Fantasius]

Supervised children are allowed in WDW hot tubs; unsupervised ones are not! Children under the age of 5 (which includes 2 yr-olds...sorry!) really, really, really, should never use a public hot tub!!! Between the chemicals and the heat, you really are asking for problems. As has been said before, a child cannot regulate his body temperature when surrounded by water over 100-degrees; plus, bodily functions are uncontrollable by a 2 yr-old in that warm of water.

Granted, Disney does not heat their hot-tubs much above 104-degrees, unfortunately, I've seem alot of supervised children playing around in hot-tubs at Disney without a word from their parents/guardians...much to the annoyance of the adults trying to relax.

I don't mind children in the hot-tub, but for those that feel it's never their children that are the problem, I would love even Disney to have "family" hot-tubs and "adult-only" hot-tubs. When I was at CBR last February, the hot-tub was loaded with Jr-High students doing laps in the hot-tub...all under the watchful eye of their chaperone(s) who were enjoying their drinks!

Yes, this is one of my pet-peeves...just remember it IS your child and they DO annoy other people who are trying to relax even if they are just going in and out of the hot-tub every 10 min's. And how do you know that even though there is nobody in the hot-tub when you arrive, the people arriving after you don't want to use the hot-tub but really would prefer it without the child already in it?

O.k., said my peace...really can't wait to be there in less than two weeks!!!

-R

P.S., for the poster that mentioned it, if you can smell the chlorine, actually they are using too much chlorine in the hot-tub...water should neither smell swampy (indicating too much algea and bacteria) or full of chemicals (unless you're doing a salt bath). Generally, I would prefer Disney use salt-water in their hot-tubs instead of tap-water as salt is much safer and a more natural alternative and would decrease the reliance on chemicals.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

I will add my comments to Lord Fantasius. PLEASE keep an eye on your kids in the hot tub. Most adults, including myself and my husband, use a hot to relax and unwind. It is so disrespectful when parents like their kids scream, splash, and even swim in the hot tub while people are trying to unwind.