| Pool Chlorine Increases Risk of Asthma and Allergies | |
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The study compared chlorine pools with a healthier and more eco-friendly option, pools sanitized with copper and silver. Researchers suggest that the chlorine causes changes in the airway, promoting the development of allergic diseases. While more research is still needed, 20% of Olympic swimmers have asthma. Interesting, right? And this isn’t the first study linking an increased asthma risk with pool chlorine. Healthy Child Healthy World (HCHW) rounded up the previous research, which includes a 2006 Belgian study that suggests frequent child swimmers have an increased asthma risk similar regular smokers. And another study that exposed a knowledge gap regarding the chemicals, like chlorine, that can evaporate into our air from liquid form and how that affects our health. So what can you do? Swimming is a great activity for kids, so there’s no reason to cut it out all together. If you’re lucky enough to have a pool in your neighborhood that uses an alternative treatment option like ozone, salt water or copper, go for it. If not, HCHW suggests limiting indoor pool time, look for pools with strict pre-bathing rules, learn about your pool facility’s ventilation system and try to swim when the pool isn’t packed. Source: GO Media - Written by Julie Knapp - Image: Sebdanon via stock.xchng Comments
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Swimming in pools treated with chlorine can increase kids’ asthma risk according to a recent study published in the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Belgium researchers also found that kids who swam in indoor and outdoor chlorine-treated pools had a higher risk of other allergies including hay fever and allergic rhinitis.
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