Are hot tubs safe for children?
Children can quickly become overheated in a hot tub. Don’t let your child use a hot tub until he or she is tall enough to keep his or her head above water while standing in the middle of the hot tub. Even then, hot tub visits should be brief — and never allow your child to submerge his or her head in a hot tub. Because high temperatures encourage the growth of certain microorganisms, an earful of water from a hot tub can lead to an external ear infection. Far worse, long hair can get caught in a hot tub grate and cause drowning. ©1998-2009 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.