Allergies to Pool Water

my 15 month daughter has a bit of eczema too and i read that chorine can irritate it. we still go swimming occasionally, but the dr gave us a topical cream that really helps whenever her skin dries out or gets rashy - Desdonide i think its called.

It could very well be an allergy to chlorine, or it could be that the chlorine simply irritated his eczema. Chlorine tends to be very drying anyway. That combined with eczema and that could also be causing an irritation. If you try the pool again, just make sure you have plenty of his eczema cream and/or moisturizing lotion ready for the minute he gets out of the pool and dried off. Also, try shorter exposure time (I don't know how long you were in the first time). If you are too concerned about it, you can always ask his doctor about allergy vs. eczema sensitivity and if there is anything he can recommend for getting in some pool time with your son. Good luck!

L.

Two of my daughters have eczema. It is possible to have a reaction to the chlorine in the pool, but my girls get the same reaction when they stay in the bathtub too long. It may just be overexposure to the water, as water can be very drying. My pediatrician told me to limit their bath time for this reason. It also helps my girls to pat dry after water exposure. I have noticed that their eczema seems better when they are well hydrated, so they drink plenty of water, especially before swimming.
On another eczema note, one of my girls had a terrible rash on her legs that didn't look like eczema at all. I have 5 children and they've all had peculiar rashes from time to time so I didn't panic, but after two days her skin started to look lumpy. I took her to the doctor and she had a strep infection. The doctor said this is not unusual in people with eczema. He said that internal infections can show themselves through extreme skin irritation when you already have a breakage in the skin.
I thought I would pass this info along as I have dealt with my daughter's eczema for nine years and I did not know this before.

Hi K.,

We have had this issue ourselves, and known many that have dealt with it as well. One thing you could check on is the issue of candida. It can contribute to causing eczema if am overgrowth has occured. We recently started a program called 3 Lac which is a probiotic, and you also use oxygen drops for the program. It is safe for 2 year olds to take, and our whole family is dealing with less of the eczema and many other issues. The site we visited was www.candidafree.net
and also the company that makes 3 Lac is called Global Health Trax. You can google that as well. The chlorine can definitely cause irritation, we are changing our pool/spa chemical to a non chlorinated one called softswim. It is made from bioguinide which Doctors use in surgery. Blessings to you and your family.

Katherine

Sure. My granddaughter, too, has sensitive skin and breaks out in hives some times from the swimming pool water. She is on the swim team and just showers good afterwards and puts on a mixture her Dr. Rx'd for her or something called Boudreaux's Butt Cream (actually a diaper rash ointment) that smells like Vanilla. The ointment goes on smoothly according to my daughter. I think this happens when the pool has recently had the water re-chlorinated.

my daughter is now 5, but she has eczema as well. she always reacts with hives to pools--and to regular bath water. Not a lot we can do about it, just give allergy meds and hope they outgrow it. I had a hard time getting her to an allergy specialist and had to wait until she was 3 before they did any tests. I's find out from your doctor when you can get that done and possibly find better meds for the eczema as well.

Yes it happens alot There are special types of additives to buy if you ever have a pool your self. Give him benidrel ( over the counter) But should check with doctor for sure.

It could very well be due to too much chlorine, or just the chlorine itself. You said his skin is very sensitive so it could be that his skin cannot tolerate the chlorine. If the pool had too much chlorine(as public pools tend to have)then it could've been that, or it could also be over exposure to it. Has you son ever had his skin exposed to chlorine?

My son also has eczema and had this problem this summer during his swim lessons. I found that evveryday when we were done I would rub him down with Eucerin, and it helped alot. You can also find a lotion in the pharmacy that diabetics use and it is awesome. It is great to use as a daily moisturiser too. I don't remember the brand, but I know that there a few out there. I think keeping the skin moist helps with breakouts. I hope this was helpful.

This exact thing just happened to my son this past weekend at an indoor swimming pool party at a local health club. He does get rashes on his face from time to time, but after coming home from the pool we noticed a very dry bumpy patch of rash accross his belly.

What were the symptoms of an allergic reaction?

Yes, some people are allergic to chlorine but it's my guess that it's more likely to be a reaction to the chlorine as an irritant. The eczema causes a break in the skin which allows the chlorine to touch tender skin.

My granddaughter has eczema and she spends a lot of time in the swimming pool. Her skin gets more dry and the eczema appears to be worse because it's so dry. She feels more itchy. We lather her with lotion after she showers and treat the eczema with a prescription cream.

Eczema is often caused BY a food allergy..

I personally am allergic to chlorine. Nothing major, but enough to keep me away from it. My skin gets so dry and irritated. Chlorine is a major chemical so this is very probable. Research for yourself and you'll be shocked at the side effects. There is a book called Chemical Free Kids that is shocking. You might look into gentle, non-chemical healers like homeopathy, aromatherapy and making your own cosmetics!
I hope his skin heals quickly!

Oh yeah! It happened to me as a kid and to our son also, eczema since he was an infant, he's now 6!
Normally, petroleum is not something you want on your kid, but mineral oil serves as a protective barrier on the skin, like a diaper ointment. We have used a gel baby oil which is less messy to apply. We just slather him up before he gets in the pool, especially on his more sensitive areas.
Outside the pool we manage his skin issues the best we can, I used to use Cetaphil cream but now use a Nourishing Moisturizer that Sensaria offers, I am now a rep so I can get it at a discount. It is so great on him, put it right on his face, and I know it's healthy for his skin and has improved it a lot.
Here's my web if you want to take a look-
www.mysensaria.com/jenn
Good Luck!
Jenn

yes, definately. If he's prone to eczema he could be having an allergic like reaction to the chlorine. Chlorine is a pretty harsh chemical. There is a pool out in Beaverton that uses salt water that you cuold try, but I wouldn't put him back in the pool.

did he play with any foam floating toys???

what was the allergic reaction like? a rash or actual hives?

My kids broke out every time they went to the pool but pretty sure it was the foam float pads and tubes they had there for them to play with.

you can certainly have your child tested for allergies..

also I don't know if there is any latex in those floatie things either.. but that is a common allergy..

and there is also a thing called oral allergy syndrome - if your son has been tested positive for any of a number of plants/trees/weeds he may have reactions to other substances. You can google "oral allergy syndrome" or "allergic cross reaction" to learn more about it.

Many kids with eczema also have allergies. At least two of my kids who have had severe eczema have tested positive for numerous allergies.. including food and plant pollens.