Kids who are sensitive/allergic to pool chemicals

[JessReplanted]

My son (8) - who has struggled with various sports - has been taking swimming lessons for a few months now. He's really enjoying the lessons, and he's doing great! It has been such a positive thing for him.

 

He has allergies and asthma, and at first I was concerned that swimming so often would irritate his lungs - it has happened before when we were on vacation. But he was totally fine - until last week. He was at the pool and couldn't seem to stop sneezing. Since then he's had a cold. Today he seemed good enough to go back to practice, but my husband sent me several texts saying that now the poor child has red spots all over his face - which he didn't have when he left the house.

 

Has anyone else encountered this? I really don't want to make the poor kid quit swimming. :(

[Jennifer3141]

I have a son who cannot swim in chlorine pools. We went through all the allergy patch tests to discover that yes, we weren't imagining things. So most of the cheaper hotels are out for us but if they use bromine, we're ok although I wouldn't want him to swim in it everyday. DS had breathing problems one night in a hotel room and boy was that fun!! :D

[Mom2J112903]

Have you ever went thru allergy testing?

 

J is severely allergic to molds, and swimming in public pools can do a number on his lungs as well. Thanks to allergy testing we know how to treat them so he can enjoy the pool once again :)

[Dobela]

My son's skin would break out in pools, especially those that were not properly maintained. When he was about 4 his swim coach suggest a lotion that she used. I can't remember the name now but it was thick and protected his skin. He rarely had breakouts if we put the lotion on him.

[courtney.byrum]

I don't know about allergies regarding pool chemicals but I have been noticing my daughter's skin gets rashy looking after her swimming lessons. It's definitely not there before lessons and from what I've seen it's not there in the evenings on swimming days so it seems to be related to the pool somehow. I guess I should see what it is they use and look into something that I can put on her skin before lessons.

[Pam Wilhelm]

My middle child kept getting really itchy rashes and it took us forever to figure it out...... then finally we linked her swimming in our backyard pool to the rashes. We started rinsing her off with the hose after she finished in the pool everyday and it seemed to help tremendously. She seems to be growing out of the problem..... we'll see this summer.

[bettyandbob]

Is he swimming at an indoor pool. The chlorine problems are worse indoors. So, if you find you have to quit in the winter, you may be able to resume in the summer.

 

Before quitting, I would make a point of getting a thorough shower after swimming. Make sure your ds understands thorough and how the purpose is to help him continue to be able to swim. And use a moisturizer you know your son will not react to after the thorough shower. Also use the moisturizer on days you aren't swimming. In the winter our skin is already dry and gets irritated easily. This approach helps me. I'm in the water 3 days a week.