CF Parenting IRL: Assessing the risks - Sandpits and sandy beaches

I am very nervous about sandpits - the evidence suggests that sandpits are safe when they are dry and have clean sand. But the lines get a bit blurry when water is added to the equation and most sandpits in children play areas that I have seen involve a water tap or some similar source of running water.

So it may be that the safest option is to allow a child with CF to play in a sandpit in a private garden where you can control the cleanliness and wetness of the sand - e.g. using a good cover for the sandpit and changing the sand very regularly.

If you do opt for a garden sandpit I have read that when you buy sand in a bag it is often wet so you will need to let it dry out. And the CF Trust website says to change the sand regularly (although it does not say how regularly!)

But wherever the sandpit is located (public or private), the overwhelming advice is always to wash hands thoroughly afterwards as a precaution.

For safe indoor play you can also buy kinetic sand (which is effectively regular sand that's been coated) and some brands contain antibacterial ingredients to prevent germs.

Plus a sandpit that is located where animals might be able to access it - e.g. a public park - is also quite high risk and less likely to be clean, and in these cases by far the most frequent contaminant is Toxocara from cat and dog faeces.

When it comes to beaches, the truth is that sand can be contaminated with PsA and Staphylococcus aureus, which is largely due to human contamination, land runoff, and sewage in the sea. But the general advice is that sandy beaches are safe with precautions - such as regularly washing hands.