A Singaporean mum took to social media to warn other parents to be careful when taking their children to the swimming pool after her daughter suffered from chlorine rash.
In her Facebook post, Desiree Oh spoke at length about her daughter’s condition and cautioned parents about the effects of chlorine on children.
Source: Desiree Oh/FB
Chlorine rash from swimming pool
Source: Desiree Oh/FB
The incident which occurred two months ago, happened when her daughter came back with swollen red rashes after swimming in a pool.
Desiree, a single mum, said she was shocked to see her daughter’s skin turn “red and patchy” observed that her daughter was not only extremely uncomfortable but also had a poor appetite.
She added that initially, she thought the rashes, that started as small, itchy patches, were just insect bites and would go away with simple medication.
However, her daughter’s condition soon deteriorated to the extent that she had a mild fever and would cry because of the burning sensation.
That’s when Desiree decided to take her to the hospital.
“We went to a nearby child clinic but nth turns better but turn worst till it swollen n it so hot when u touches it. And she will scream when u touch her. (sic)”
Skin contact to chlorine resulting in burns and chlorine rash
It was a chance meeting, according to Desiree, with an elderly lady that prompted her to send her daughter to the hospital. She said the elderly lady suggested, upon seeing her daughter’s condition, that perhaps it’s because of chlorine rashes—which her grandson also suffered from.
Convinced with the elderly lady’s suggestion, Desiree went to seek for a second opinion for her daughter’s condition from a clinic the elderly lady recommended. The doctor then diagnosed her daughter’s condition as chlorine burn resulting from her daughter’s skin contact from chlorine found in the swimming pool waters.
Her daughter was then given appropriate medication. According to Desiree, her child’s condition improved within a few hours after taking the medication and the inflammation also reduced.
Sensitive skin and chlorine susceptibility
What stumped the mother of two the most was the fact that this was the first time her daughter was experiencing such rashes, despite going swimming 2 to 3 times a month.
The doctor said it could be that the chlorine content of the water might have changed which resulted in her daughter’s skin reacting to the chemical contact. Desiree was also advised that frequent contact to chlorine might have affected her daughter’s skin sensitivity making it more susceptible to the chemical.
Because of these, Desiree has began taking preventative steps to prevent her daughter from suffering from the rashes again, she said. According to her, she now bathes her daughter before and after her swim and restricts her swim time to only 1 hour.
So far, her precautions are “working and her daughter’s scars have almost gone,” she said.
What is chlorine rash?
A chlorine rash is when the skin reacts severely after coming into contact with chlorine. If your child gets chlorine rashes, it may not be an allergic reaction but more of a sensitive skin issue.
Symptoms
Chlorine rash can result in an itchy red rash and raw, swollen skin and other symptoms like:
- dry or chapped skin that may grow worse with repeated exposure to chlorine
- itchy, red, swollen, or scaly patches of skin
- burning, stinging, or itching skin
- skin that may crack or bleed after repeated contact with chlorine
- sores or blisters
Remedies
Getting chlorine rashes does not mean your child has to give up swimming, you can manage his/her symptoms by taking the following precautions:
- showering immediately before and after swimming in a chlorinated pool
- removing and washing the swimsuit right away and changing into loose, dry clothes
- spacing out periods of chlorine exposure to give the skin time to heal
- limiting the amount of time spent in chlorinated water
- refraining from swimming in overly chlorinated pools
Do take these precautions, parents.