Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Daughter fell in the pond while looking for Mr Frog

72 replies

Shelly32 · 23/05/2012 21:35

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!

OP posts:

youarekidding · 23/05/2012 22:25

I would think she'd be OK. You could always call NHS direct for advice. Although tbh the call back times are up to 5 hours sometimes so unless she's ill atm and you want a 3am phonecall it may not be the best idea!

I'm sure if you call GP surgery at opening a DR will call you back before surgery and advise?

yousankmybattleship · 23/05/2012 22:27

Actually I wasn't critiquing your parenting just surprised that you'd managed this long without covering it or filling it in. Surely you'd all be happier if the children could run in and out by themselves. It is not doom mongering to suggest that a pond is a death trap for a two and a half year old, but your reply suggests that you know that already if you never let them go into their own garden unsupervised.

Original poster

Shelly32 · 23/05/2012 22:29

Thanks youarekidding She's not unwell at the moment, she's cuddled up asleep. I am probably just being over paranoid but I've known friends who were river swimmers end up with parasites so I assume any kind of water (apart from drinking) can give you bugs. If she's not 100% tomorrow I'll call the doc

OP posts:

Triggles · 23/05/2012 22:31

I guess it depends... what colour is the water in the pond?

If it's clear and clean... she'll most likely be fine.

Murky green and rather swamplike... not so much.

Original poster

Shelly32 · 23/05/2012 22:33

yousankmybattleship I wouldn't call a pond a deathtrap but it has the potential to be dangerous to a child, definitely! Just a little sensitive over it as I think it's a great thing for the girls and for nature and I'm always getting lambasted by my mother. Sorry if I sounded defensive! Even without the pond, I doubt I'd let them go in the garden unsupervised until older as I'm a bit of a worrier!

OP posts:

Original poster

Shelly32 · 23/05/2012 22:34

Triggles It's clear. You can see to the bottom when you clear the little leaf weed from the top.

OP posts:

pookamoo · 23/05/2012 22:35

I need to empty my pond. :( DH and I will do it this weekend, I think. We are giving the animals (frogs?) to the neighbours, and the plants can all go on freecycle.

I DO go outside every time DD1 goes out there, she can't play out on her own, just because of the pond. It was put in by our predecessor in this house, but with small children, I think it's time it went.

Rollmops · 23/05/2012 22:37

At what age would one consider leaving the pond uncovered? What age of a child, naturally, not pond? We have a small lake rather large, shallow natural pond that would be quite impossible to fill in/cover/fence. Children nearly five and never alone in the garden.

pookamoo · 23/05/2012 22:37

Oh, and I think ponds are a great learning environment for children - the DDs can look at next door's pond through the fence. I fell in my Gran's pond when I was 9, trying to catch the goldfish... I was fine, no parasites.

I'm sure your DD will be ok.

Stellarforstar · 23/05/2012 22:38

I don't know if it's an urban myth or not, but Fat Coke is meant to kill bugs from that sort of thing.

I went river walking with work and had a can after- I was the only one that didn't get sick from the stinking green and foul crystal clear Derbyshire water, and I swallowed a fair bit too

Disclaimer- I know NOTHING about anything so it might be a load of tosh.

yousankmybattleship · 23/05/2012 22:38

I'm a worrier too, but what is the worst that can generally happen in a garden? My children have always had bumps and scrapes while out in the garden (and my idiot son has run into the wall a few times) but nothing a cuddle and a plaster can't fix. Children can, and do, die in ponds every year and it simply isn't worth the risk. Plenty of parks they can go to for pond dipping and the like. Please chalk this up as a lucky escape and fill the blinking thing in!

thisisyesterday · 23/05/2012 22:39

pooka, can you not just fence it/cover it?

thisisyesterday · 23/05/2012 22:40

yousank, you're being a bit OTT.
if the pond is fenced in/covered then it poses no risk does it?

Original poster

Shelly32 · 23/05/2012 22:41

Rollmops, I guess kids can fall in at any age but if they can swim, it's not so dangerous. We inherited our pond too. If you can't cover it, you can't. All you can do is be there while they're out. Even when we eventually get it covered I'll still be out there with my beady eyes!! Pookamoo, fingers crossed the same goes here!

OP posts:

yousankmybattleship · 23/05/2012 22:43

Yes, sorry completely OTT! I didn't mean it had to be erased from the face of the earth, just not accessible to children so of course a cover would be fine. Aplogogies. I may have too much caffeine!

thisisyesterday · 23/05/2012 22:44

you sure it's just caffeine? lol

Original poster

Shelly32 · 23/05/2012 22:44

Stellar I heard from a triathelete that fat Coke kills them too! But then I'd be in trouble for having a pond AND giving my kids fizzy drinks!!

OP posts:

hmc · 23/05/2012 22:45

At the risk of having you tell me to shut up and get off your case whilst I am sure you will never let them play outside unsupervised, what if they let themselves out unbeknown to you? .....just saying!

Hope your dd is okay. Technically there is a risk she could pick something up but unlikely. I expect she'll be fine

Original poster

Shelly32 · 23/05/2012 22:46

OP posts:

Triggles · 23/05/2012 22:46

since fat Coke will literally clean out pipes, I'd imagine it could kill off quite a few things

GreyTS · 23/05/2012 22:47

I would keep an eye on her and bring her to a doctor of she shows any signs of being unwell, my little cousin (18 months) was hospitalised a couple of months ago with e-coli. Source was found to be the pond at the family home, she had fallen in a few days before becoming unwell. Her kidneys had become inflamed with the infection so no vomiting just a v high and uncontrollable temperature. Probably unlikely but just to be on the lookout

Original poster

Shelly32 · 23/05/2012 22:48

hmc The grin was not for your comment by the way. Shut up and get off my case! Noo.. I see what you and some of the other posters are saying. I will be getting the pond covered as a result of this dip!

OP posts:

GrimmaTheNome · 23/05/2012 22:50

The strong mesh stuff people have mentioned does work, for a smallish pond at least - I've a relative with a koi pond who has it, you really could walk on it. I think she'd had the edging removed, put down this stuff and then edging back on top..the mesh was just under the surface so almost invisible but safe.

eastendywendy · 23/05/2012 22:52

Just a quick hijack - at ds's school there's a pond and rock garden in the playground. Kids from 4+. Do you all reckon this is ok?

rainbowsprite1 · 23/05/2012 22:57

glad your little one is ok, but seriously get yourself to a builders yard and get enough heavy duty rebar to cover your pond... DH insisted on keeping a pond when we moved to a house with one and I, 8.5 mo preg with DD2 at the time, insisted the grid was thick enough for me to jump on! (you havent seen me heavily PG!!!) 4 years on it is still in place & it is wonderful, has saved me so much stress...

plus my DD's now 4 & 5 love crawling across the rebar (with me present of course!) so they can hover over the middle of the pond & watch all the wildlife and fish :)

Flip

1 2 3

Swipe left for the next trending thread