Utah Special Olympians Unable to Swim Due to Diaper Ban
October 15, 2007 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
Swimmers at a Special Olympics event at the University of Utah were unable to compete last Friday due to a state ba on diapers in public swimming pools. Today’s Statesman Journal reports that a 14-year-old girl who has autism and epilepsy was barred from competing after a lifeguard “spotted a woman hurriedly removing a dry diaper from her 14-year-old daughter.” The swimmer had already won a medal in an earlier event before it was realized that she was wearing diapers. There has been a ban in Utah against swimmers in diapers since August 28th, due to the spread of cryptosporidium, a parasite that can cause severe diarrhea.
Having pulled Charlie out of the pool a few times when it was learned that “someone had an accident” in the water—-and having spent my share of time scrubbing and bleaching and hosing and rinsing after Charlie got a stomach thing, perhaps from a pool (he tends to swallow the water)—I find the ban against diapers in pools understandable, and prudent. But a bit more forethought in getting the word out about such a ban—-especially to swimmers who, indeed, need to wear diapers just to be on the safe side—would be equally prudent and fair to the athletes.
I understand the ban but I am surprised that no one has come up with the adult/young adult equivalent of swim diapers (a la Huggies Li’l Swimmers) or plastic pants to go over diapers. These are accepted even at the YMCA as an acceptable measure. Far better than yanking off a diaper just before a race.
That’s what I was thinking too. Certainly there’s an alternative that would be acceptable?
There are adult swim diapers/incontinence wear out there
See under “adult swim diapers”
http://specialchildren.about.com/od/inthecommunity/a/swimgear.htm
I can see the concern, because cryptosporidium is a problem, esp. if one is immuno-compromised, but I would bet that there are folks who will take their chances, so banning diapers may not result in 100% failsafe.
I have been swimming with a disposable diaper under a pair of shorts for as long as i can remember, Im just careful to wear something that has a snug fit and is good quality. I think as long as the product doesnt come loose or break apart in the pool and contains everything its ment to, it should be up to the wearer to decide if they want to wear a disposable or reusable diaper. they all serve the same purpose. I dont have a washer and dryer so it would be hard for me to take a reusable swim diaper to the laundrymat evertime i go to the pool and since I have always worn a disposable diapers i am more comfortable wearing them than reusables
I am an Adapted Physical Education teacher.Many of my students are incontinent and I take them swimming in our pool. Most public pools do not allow regular disposable diapers. They can fall apart and clog the pool filter.Little children can wear the disposable swim diapers made by Huggies because they don’t fall apart. When they outgrow those, they can wear washable nylon swim diapers under a swimsuit. The best thing we can think of to try to keep stools out of the pool is to wear all of the following:a disposable diaper, a nylon swim diaper,a swimsuit and a wetsuit.