Swimming can be dangerous enough without worrying about health hazards for your kids. If your children are getting sick every time they go swimming at the pool, then you must do everything you can to determine why.
Chlorine is a very toxic compound. If children develop an allergy to chlorine, then this can put them in danger. The most important thing for keeping the children out of danger is knowing everything you can about your kids and their allergies. If your children develop rashes, watery eyes, or a runny nose after swimming in a chlorinated pool, then the chances are high that they have a chlorine allergy.
The cause of a chlorine allergy is that their immune system is reacting negatively to the chlorine in the water. There is a slim possibility the owner of the pool over used the chemicals, causing an extreme reaction. In most cases, however, the problem is simply an allergy to chlorine. So the best solution is to keep your child away from chlorine.
You must be most careful to not let your kids swim in an untreated pool, however. This can be very dangerous, as they could get very sick this way. Water absorbs and hides many dangers including bacteria and disease. An untreated pool becomes a breeding ground for bugs and bacteria. Your child will inadvertently be in contact with every one of these germs if they take a swim in this dangerous environment.
The best thing to do if you own a pool is to find a new water treatment system. Salt water pools, while rare, are a wonderful solution to the problem; especially as salt is something that is cheap and simple.
Another alternative is "Baquacil" which is a simple pool treatment system. It cleans the pool, kills bacteria and algae and keeps your pool safe. There are several other treatment systems including one called “PristineBlue”. No matter what you decide to use, be sure to do your homework on what sort of chemicals you are introducing into your home. In addition, it is not necessary and definitely not recommended to mix chemicals yourself. Do not take risks trying to create your own pool cleaning system because the chemicals involved are volatile and dangerous.
If you don’t own a pool and want to continue swimming with your children, then the best options are natural bodies of water. Rivers are one of the cleanest swimming options because the running water doesn’t give bacteria as much chance to breed. The thing you must be sure of is that it is a clean river. Make sure that no one has been dumping sewage or industrial waste into it. If you can find a family recreation area at a nearby river, all the checking is done for you.
Another option if you live near the ocean is going to the beach. Public beaches are the safest option, because you won’t be the only one watching your children. Be aware of any signs and rules in these areas as they are there for your protection. If your child does have a serious problem then take your child to an allergy doctor because testing may be necessary.