Daughter fell in the pond while looking for Mr Frog

[Shelly32]

While playing in the garden with my girls, one fell in our pond. She was only in for a few seconds but swallowed a little water, AIBU to worry about her getting sick/parasites from this? Getting a protective covering is now top of our list as a result of this first mishap!

How old is she?

Two and a half

Most kids eat plenty of dirt and yucky stuff, I wouldn't worry. Maybe give her plenty of milk.

Thanks Seabright. She had a bath and a cup of milk straight after

I fell in a pond at that age and developed a ridiculous phobia of fish. No diseases though.

Nah, I wouldn't worry.

I wouldn't worry about diseases, but personally I wouldn't have a pond in the garden when you have small children. I don't know what protective covers you can get, but there must be something toddler friendly, if not, I'd fill it in.

I'd cover it TBH.

My dad used a metal grid from a builders merchant, it looked like the stuff they use in house foundations. It takes 2 men to even shift it a bit so the kids are quite safe even if they jump on it.

I would worry more about her falling in tbh. You can't look away or be distracted for 2 minutes when you've got a pond like that. Can you secure it better or empty it or make it much shallower until she's older?

Friend of mine has two under 5 and a Koi pond which is 3m circular and about 2m deep. He installed a locked grill, very decorative, that could take his weight jumping on it.
I'm surprised she's got to two and a half without you considering it, you've been incredibly lucky.

Are there any chemicals in the pond?

I'm sure she would have been sick by now if she was ill from it.

Thanks Meglet!
HRH, you sound like my mum! She tells me this every single day! It's a great place for them to learn. This year they've seen tadpoles turn into frogs and they love going to see the fish...and Mr Frog. I know ponds can be dangerous but honestly, they would never be left unattended. I was watching Luci as she tipped in. I'm well aware of the dangers of water and would never put the girls at risk by letting them play unattended.

Well, I wouldn't have worried - except the last couple of days we've seen a rat drinking from our little pond and DH has been lecturing us about leptospirosis (Weils syndrome). Its rare but can be serious. If your DD gets fluey symptoms in the next few days, take her to the doctor, tell her/him what happened and insist on a test. Its extremely unlikely but its one of those things that its worth being aware of.

You've had a lucky escape
Fill the bloody thing in
I wouldn't worry bout the water she's swallowed btw

I don't know why but I thought mosquito larvae was poisonous to little ones?

I could be wrong though?

Nextdoor's pond is bloody full of it and we're getting bitten to death already

You could turn it into a bog garden, that would still support a lot of wildlife.

So long as she didn't kiss the frog she'll be fine :o

Builders mesh metal grid is just thething.

I once fell in a pond as a child and I am completely normal.

Hmm. I'm usually fairly un-worried about picking up bugs etc. but ds fell into a trough of water at about that age. He then developped dreadful diahorrea which lasted for ages. It could have been unconnected, but I'll not know.

I wouldn't worry about bugs, she'll be fine. I would however be petrified about having an uncovered pond anywhere near my children (having worked in emergency services and being involved in more than one incident of toddlers drowning/near drowning in garden ponds).

A quick google of toddler and pond brings up awful story after awful story. An inquest form just three days ago:

"North east Hampshire coroner Andrew Bradley, recording a verdict of accidental death, said: 'One of my hobby horses is that ponds should be fenced ? it was, you were here, it was all immediate, how much safer could it be?
'It doesn't work because in the twinkling of an eye Rodney goes missing.
'The greatest danger is the proximity of water, in particular for a boy like Rodney who had a fascination for fish, but it's fatal.' "

Please consider filling it in or covering it safely & fencing it in.

Please please please get a grille to cover it. You can still see the tadpoles through the grille and the fish etc.
A friend lost her 2 yo son when he drowned in a pond at his grandparents house. I'm sure they thought they would never take their eyes off him, but they were all 4 adults in the house and each thought the child was with someone else. It only takes a few short minutes for a child to drown.

you know, i am pretty sure the OP realises that the pond needs covering.

in fact, she said so in her initial post.

Cripes - you're brave having an uncovered pond and a two and a half year old. Do you go outside with her every time she goes? I would keep a close eye on her for the next day or two and keep her off dairy as it is provides the perfect breeding ground for any bugs.

Thank you thisisyesterday

yousankmybattleship I NEVER , ever let the girls go out unsupervised. I didn't actually want a crtique of my parenting skills, I wanted some advice over whether I should be worried about whether she'll get parasites or not. Cheers everyone for the doom mongering though! My girls have been brought up with the pond. I'm well aware that it's possible for them to fall in, which is why they never are left unsupervised. She was in for a second. I will be covering the pond but I imagine this little dip will probably have put her off going too near the pond for life! Obviously I won't be taking that for granted though