Summer is coming, so for short -- that can cause gastrointestinal complaints. And so it's also time for resuming the debate over the eternal question: Should babies in diapers be allowed into public pools?

Babies, being babies, inevitably had what the government euphemistically calls "fecal accidents," spreading nasty crypto organisms into public pools in numerous communities. The parasites, which resist chlorine and slip through filters, infected other swimmers, who spread the disease for up to 50 days. More than 1,900 people suffered crypto-related diarrhea, cramps and other ill effects.

To fight the outbreak, babies were banned from pools for a time. But that order was later lifted, and this year health authorities are allowing babies back in the water, if they wear tight "swim diapers."

Now, any parent can tell you that diapers leak more easily than government secrets in Washington. And babies are going to be babies. One fecal foul-up can emit up to 1 billion crypto organisms, infecting an entire pool. Another person needs only to swallow a mouthful of water with a few crypto-critters in it to run the risk of ending up doubled over in pain, or in the emergency room getting fluids through an IV.

It's a lovely thought that baby can be taught to swim before being toilet trained. But, given the down side (pun intended), one might wonder why babies should be allowed in public pools. They're babies. They can't walk, they can't talk. Why in the name of Dr. Spock can't swimming come later?

Getting infants into the water is a trendy idea in child-rearing. The Web site babyswimming.com proclaims that "Researchers have documented that the stimulating effect of child-paced infant/toddler swimming lessons has the potential to increase intelligence, concentration, alertness, and perceptual abilities."

Our response: Take the kid home and read him a story. Put some Mozart on the stereo. Do anything to boost the little darling's IQ -- but take them to the pool only when you're absolutely certain you'll have a leak-free experience.

From the same Web site comes this: "This is often a child's first social experience out of the home that involves their peers. They learn to relate and interact with each other and look forward to seeing their classmates."

Our response: There's a new invention called a "playground." Take them there, where any diaper mishaps can be absorbed by Mother Earth.

Of course, infants aren't the only problem. Adults acting like babies are another cause of the spread of the ailment. Anyone who's been to a public pool knows that few, if any, adults take good showers that will wash away any crypto organisms hanging around. No, most folks just splash a little water on their heads and pretend they've just cleaned up.

Nor do people stay out of the pool when they're sick. Even during last summer's outbreak, when crypto was the big news, people with diarrhea nevertheless went swimming. Some said they'd get fat if they stopped their daily dips.

Well, nothing like a bout of diarrhea to get rid of a few pounds, but we don't think crypto is going to overtake Weight Watchers as a diet aid.

The more we think about it, the less fun a trip to a public pool sounds anyway. A new official poster will warn swimmers that pool water isn't clean -- that jumping into your local pool is like taking a bath with strangers.

After that, we think that not only should babies be banned from the pools, but maybe everybody should just stay out.

Public pools could be converted to skate parks or covered with trampolines.

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What do you think?