Health Restrictions

[Stemay]

I know that hydrotherapy is contraindicated for some people, but I honestly don't know exactly who SHOULDN'T go in the water.  When you get your spa, do they list some health conditions that people may have who should avoid using the spa?  

How do all of you handle this issue with friends or relatives who may not know that it's not a good idea for them to go in?  I'm likely not going to have a sign posted that reads "If you suffer from this, that and the other condition, please refrain from going into the spa."

Thanks!

[hottub.pool_boy]

we say, "if there's ever a question, check with your doctor."
As far as friends and relatives, for mother's-in-law's: the spa is always a steemy 106 degrees, friends: my spa's too small for a party and right off my bedroom, so it'd have to be an "approved" friend as far as my wife is concerned.
Small children 5 years and under should not be in spa when water is over body temperature.

[Brewman]

I think my spa owner's manual has some really generic guidelines.  I'm of the opinion that we all have to be responsible for ourselves.  You want to use my spa, you need to find out for yourself if you should or not.  I'm not a doctor, or babysitter, just a doofus with a spa.

[drewstar]

The restrictions I've heard is that hot water can relax the blood vessels and folks with high, (and we just learned a few weeks ago in here)  folks with very low blood pressure need to talk to a doctor before using a spa. The temperature change can greatly effect folks with BP issues.

I've heard that pregnant women should avoid the hot tub (high temps).

Infants and very young children  are also warned not to be exposed to too high temps or for too long.

Your owners manual should outline the  risks.

[Drewski]

Small children 5 years and under should not be in spa when water is over body temperature.

Why?  And, please, don't just say because the CPSC says so. How about some data that will show why my 4 and 5 year old nephews shouldn't stay in my tub the 2+ hours they usually do at 104+ ??

Seriously...

Drewski

[drewstar]

Why?  And, please, don't just say because the CPSC says so. How about some data that will show why my 4 and 5 year old nephews shouldn't stay in my tub the 2+ hours they usually do at 104+ ??

Seriously...

Drewski

 

I belive its due to body size and mass.  Typically the size of a child 5 years old and younger can overheat rapidly.

Why 5 and not 4 or 6?   I dunno.

[Drewski]

I belive its due to body size and mass.  Typically the size of a child 5 years old and younger can overheat rapidly.

Yep, I'd agree with you, when they FIRST start out. I was REAL careful with them when they first started using the tub, but after about 2 months, they no longer got "overheated" when they got in. In fact, one time someone had turned down the temp to 100 and the 5 year old said "Uncle Drew, it's too COLD! Make it hotter!" That same 5 year old is a hot tub FANATIC by the way. He even learned how to swim in my tub, if you can beleive that. He's the kid in the other thread smiling at the camera...

Drewski

[loneoak]

I also read that seriously overweight people should avoid hot tubs.

Try explaining that one to your overweight friends if they want to go in!

Astrid.

[East_TX_Spa]

I have a couple of fat friends that got in the spa one time.  They looked like a couple of donuts in hot oil the way they were rolling around.

Terminator

[Brookenstein]

My 2 and 6 year old use the tub regularly with no ill effects.  The tub is normally set for 101, but if we know they are going to go in I will open the top and try to lower it to 99-100 first, but often times things are spontaneous and they get 101.  We stay in about 45 minutes, drink cold beverages, and have them sit on the edge for 2 minutes every 10 or so.  Doesn't seem to be an issue.

My 6 year old also swims in the tub and plays limbo... which is where he swims underwater under my stretched out legs.  They love love love the tub and would use it nightly if we let them.

[Chas]

My son got in one of our floor model spas when he was just a wee lad. No pun intended. I think he was around five years old.

Somebody had set the temp up to 105 ish. He kept saying it felt warm, but we didn't figure out what was going on. That night he had a fever, and flu-like symptoms. We had to take him to the doc the next morning, and he lit into us when we told him that the only thing out of the ordinary our little guy had been exposed to was an extra-hot tub.

He said that up to the age of around 10 or 12 kids just don't have the heat-regulation power of an older person. He told us that tubs should never be set over 104 unless we wanted to kill brain cells. His explanation was basically that if a person has a fever of 101 they can rest and drink fluids. But if that fever climbs to 104 or above, they should be in a hospital.

So - we have kept our tubs below 104 ever since. Also - just as a side note, I have cared for many commercial spas over the years. The Health Inspectors always shut me down if they found the tub was 104 or above. If there was a filler and an overflow, they would turn on the filler and if the tub was below 104 by the time they were ready to leave they would not red-tag it and kick everyone out. But if the heater kicked back in, or the thing just didn't cool fast enough, they would shut it down and the club owner would be on the phone right away.

[DPS]

I kept my temp. lower after my kids started getting in the tub with me, 100 degrees or so.  Their body temps can rise very fast and they can get flushed and light headed during even a relatively short soak.  To me it is just not worth taking chances.  I have seen athletic, healthy adults become ill after soaking too long in 104 degree water.  One key point for safety is staying hydrated, you don't realize how much you are sweating sitting in 104 degree water.

[Bonibelle]

I have teenage boys and they set the soak timer as soon as they get into the tub. We keep our tub at 101, (although I would like to lower it now with the warmer air temps). When my sister's small children came over, they followed my kids right out of the tub in 15 minutes.
We just said that is the rule, all kids out in 15 minutes.
I really don't want to risk a bad experience in the tub so in my mind, it is easier to just follow the guidelines.  

[Drewski]

So far, I agree with everything that's been said. BUT, here's a point. People make the mistake of thinking that just because the water temperature is 104, it MEANS that your body temperature goes to 104.

When you go swimming in the ocean (especially the Pacific) does your body temperature drop to 65? Do people on the streets in Phoenix during the summer have body temperatures of 110? Of course not!

My point is that provided you have a way of getting someone cool, namely through the head of the subject in cooler air, the body WILL stay at normal temp. In fact, I'll prove it.  This weekend I'll do a little testing on my "crew." Stand by for data....

Drewski

[drewstar]

 He told us that tubs should never be set over 104 unless we wanted to kill brain cells.

 

Hot water kills brain cells? that's umpossible! Me be soaking in the hot water tub thingy all me life and I be with no problems.