Nationwide, pools have opened, the temperature has risen and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, so have the chances of getting sick from pool-related illnesses.

The CDC has recently warned of the rise of a parasitic infection called cryptosporidium, “crypto,” which is a germ that can make people sick for up to three weeks, according to Michele Hlavsa, chief of the CDC’s Healthy Swimming Program.

This infection is most commonly linked to pools — most often, kiddie pools.

Crypto parasites are found in the stool of an infected person. Therefore, if someone were to accidentally swallow the parasite, such as swallowing infected pool water, they may become ill. The illness also joins others like hot-tub rash (pseudomonas aerginosa) that can also plague swimmers.

Symptoms of crypto include watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting.

Although the CDC has warned of the rise of crypto, public pools staffers are working diligently to keep swimmers and their families healthy through the summer months.

“If your kid had diarrhea in the pool, we shut it down for 24 hours and raise the chlorine levels to the recommended amount,” Robert Helton, Maintenance Director of Kentucky Splash Waterpark said.

Helton said he could recall of twice this has happened since he has been the maintenance director, both happening in the kiddie pool area of the waterpark. This is exactly how this type of situation should be handled, according to the CDC’s Healthy Swimming guide.

While it is the pool operator’s job to keep the pools clean, there are many ways the public can help to ensure that the pools stay crypto-free as well.

According to Hlavsa, swallowing even just a mouthful of contaminated water can cause illness and parents should encourage their children to refrain from swallowing any water while swimming.

Hlavsa also says one way to ensure kids are less likely to have an accident in the pool is to take the kids on a bathroom break. At some pools, breaks are mandatory.

“We take a break at 1:30, 3 and 4:30 every day,” said Ryan Abner, lifeguard at Levi Jackson’s pool. Abner said the break requires that all swimmers get out the pool for 15 minutes to give time for bathroom breaks.

When asked of ways the public could help to keep the pools clean, Patty Smith, manager of the Corbin, Kentucky, City Pool said, “if the kids are sick, keep them home.”

“We encourage everybody to shower and rinse off,” Helton said when asked of ways the public could help to keep his waterpark’s pools clean.

The CDC’s Heathly Swimming guide says that using public tables and chairs for diaper changing can be a health risk to other swimmers. Only change diapers in a diaper-changing area, which are typically found in the restrooms of the facility.

By following instructions of local pool operators and trusting in their promise to keep the pools as clean as possible, time spent poolside this summer stands to be more safe and worry-free.

Adams writes for the Corbin, Kentucky Times-Tribune.