Although teaching an infant how to swim may not prevent drownings, it is an enjoyable activity for both parent and child. For that reason, doctors are not saying “don’t swim with your baby,” but they are issuing a warning so parents can be aware of certain issues.
According to a study published recently in the European Respiratory Journal, children who are exposed to large amounts of chlorine early in life may have a higher risk of developing asthma or respiratory problems – particularly if they have a family history of such problems.
The issue isn’t the swimming, but rather the air quality in indoor pools and the chlorine in all pools.
Researchers looked at over 400 children and their health history and swimming habits. What the researchers found was that 36% of children who were exposed to swimming, either indoors or out, when they were younger than two years old, had a history of a lung infection called bronchiolitis. Only 24% of those who didn’t swim at that age developed the same infection.
When looking at indoor pool use of more than 20 hours before the children were two years old, these children had a 3.5 times higher risk of developing bronchiolitis than their peers how did not swim in that environment. When looking at outdoor pools, those who swam before age two two times the risk than those who did not.
The concern about the infections includes the longer term lung health of the children. The researchers found that 15% of the swimmers who had had bronchiolitis were diagnosed with asthma and/or as they got a bit older. Those who had not swum only had a 4% rate of asthma and/or hayfever.
The take-away message is not to keep babies from enjoying the water with their parents, but to be aware of heavily chlorinated pools and to choose those with less chlorination or alternative methods of cleaning the water. As well, for at-home pools, be careful not to overchlorinate.
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Image: PhotoXpress.com
Post from: Blisstree