Safe Water Temp For 5 Year Old

[kellymc62]

Hi, We just got our HS Vanguard and are really enjoying it. But I worry about my 5 year old swimming underwater in 102 degrees! What is a safe temperature for him if he's going underwater? And is there a fast way to cool it down? We got the tub we did because it holds it's heat- and it sure does! I turned it down to 90 in the morning and at 2:00 it was still over 100! Of course I left the lid down. Is there a way to turn it down during the day and then still heat it up to 102 after he goes to bed? HELP! We only thought about whether or not he could swim and did not give a thought to the heated water. Kelly

[TinyBubbles]

Kelly, I've heard of people freezing milk jugs and throwing them in the spa to lower the temp. As far as your child's safety, I would definately give a quick call to your pediatrician. I think children have a harder time regulating their body temperature than adults. I'd also be concerned about them being underwater, since I've seen many posts about people getting rashes and infections from bacteria in their spas. With kids being so prone to ear infections, this could be a problem. I bet your dr. could tell you how your child could safely enjoy your spa with you.

[going2baja]

I googled "safe spa temp for children" and a lot of good pages came up. Here is one that answers your question:

Soaking for too long in elevated water temperatures can raise body heat to hazardous levels. The National Spa and Pool Institute considers 104° F to be the maximum safe water temperature for adults, and modern spas are normally set at the factory not to exceed that limit.

A safe soaking time should not exceed 15 minutes. Some medical authorities have recommended a lower maximum temperature of 100° to 102° F. They advise that since infants and children are more sensitive to heat, they should be exposed to water of not more than 95° F, for no more than 10 minutes. Consult with your family doctor.

Persons with heart disease, diabetes, high or low blood pressure, or any other serious illness should not enter a spa or hot tub without first consulting with, and obtaining the advice of a physician.

[Mr Solo]

Hi, We just got our HS Vanguard and are really enjoying it. But I worry about my 5 year old swimming underwater in 102 degrees! What is a safe temperature for him if he's going underwater? And is there a fast way to cool it down? We got the tub we did because it holds it's heat- and it sure does! I turned it down to 90 in the morning and at 2:00 it was still over 100! Of course I left the lid down. Is there a way to turn it down during the day and then still heat it up to 102 after he goes to bed? HELP! We only thought about whether or not he could swim and did not give a thought to the heated water. Kelly

My son just turned six last month and he has been taking spas with me for over a year and enjoys the water between 99-100 degrees. I only let him in the spa when I'm in it with him, and we only take a twenty minute spa. I use the twenty minute pump timer to let us know when the time is up, and so far everything has worked out fine. I tried bringing the temperature up just a little, but he gets out and sits on the edge if the spas goes above 101 degrees. He knows how to swim, but I always keep the cover locked on the spa whenever it's not being used or monitored.

[Roger]

Hi, We just got our HS Vanguard and are really enjoying it. But I worry about my 5 year old swimming underwater in 102 degrees! What is a safe temperature for him if he's going underwater? And is there a fast way to cool it down? We got the tub we did because it holds it's heat- and it sure does! I turned it down to 90 in the morning and at 2:00 it was still over 100! Of course I left the lid down. Is there a way to turn it down during the day and then still heat it up to 102 after he goes to bed? HELP! We only thought about whether or not he could swim and did not give a thought to the heated water. Kelly

Personaly I think a swimming pool is for going underwater and swimming. A spa is for soaking out stress. I never let my kids swim in my spa. If they want to sit and soak great. But as parents we make our own rules for our children. The above information is good and a call to your doctor to confirm.

[dave nh]

i am no pediatrician, but i cant see why 98-99 would not be ok for a 5 year old where body temp is 98.6. Thats where is set mine to when my kids go in.

[chem geek]

i am no pediatrician, but i cant see why 98-99 would not be ok for a 5 year old where body temp is 98.6. Thats where is set mine to when my kids go in.

Though I agree that a temperature of 98-99 would be OK for a short time, you can't just look at relative temperatures to determine what is appropriate. The reason is that the body is continually generating heat, via chemical reactions that break down food and supply energy and nutrients to cells as well as cell processes and reproduction (that is, metabolism generates heat). If this heat from the body is not dissipated (i.e. leaves the body), then the temperature of the body would climb and the body will then try to compensate to prevent this (usually by sweating). At a normal air temperature around 72F, the difference between the body temperature of 98.6 (more specifically, the skin temperature at around 91F) and the air temperature creates a gradient that allows for heat to flow from the body into the air. This is the normal steady-state situation so having a lower external air temperature so that some heat is lost from the body is normal (and one continues to eat thereby continuing to fuel metabolism that generates heat) though the body can acclimate itself to somewhat different temperatures -- up to a point. If one were exposed to even 85F over an extended period of time, one would tend to perspire more and the body would take actions to reduce the buildup of temperature from the slower removal of heat.

In water, the situation is far more sensitive since water is a much better conductor of heat than air. Being still in water that is much below 88F will tend to feel chilly as heat gets removed from the body very quickly. If one swims or does other exercise, then that produces more heat so lower water temperatures will feel better in that case (typically 80-85F). And again, this all depends on the acclimation and body type (amount of fat, etc.). The point is that where an air temperature of 72F would be fine for most people, a water temperature of 72F without protection would remove heat too quickly from the body. Similarly, any water temperature significantly above 88F will have the body not be able to remove heat quickly enough. Even worse, when immersed in water, sweating does not work to reduce temperature because it takes evaporation of sweat (i.e. in air) to cause cooling of the skin. Just as more humid environments that are hot are more uncomfortable due to the sweat not being able to evaporate as quickly (due to the humidity), being in water is like being in 100% humidity. The removal of sweat by dilution in water does not provide any cooling because there is no evaporation (i.e. liquid water changing into water vapor).

This issue of heat conductivity is clearly apparent when you touch metal, such as steel, that is at room temperature. It feels colder than the air even though it technically is not. The reason is that it conducts heat better so the heat gets removed from your skin and body faster at the place you are touching the metal so it "feels" colder (your heat sensing nerves register a local temperature drop due to the greater local heat loss).

Richard

[kengorman]

Kelly, I've heard of people freezing milk jugs and throwing them in the spa to lower the temp.

Hi Kelly,

The reason people use frozen milk jugs as opposed to just dumping in ice or cold water is because water or ice will upset the water chemistry. You can introduce the frozen jugs without having to adjust your water.

If you want to reheat your water, a typical 240v spa will heat the water 5-8 degrees per hour.

Ken