January 30, 2011 (Berlin, Germany)

Asthma risk in baby swimming in chlorine?

If even the press office of the Federal Environmental Agency (UBA) formulated «for children under two years of age, with family history of allergies, no more baby swimming so far," then it is not good for the health outlook for our youngest when they arrive in indoor pools for swimming. This recommendation requires no further comment by the natural ponds industry. It is enough to quote the press release on the UBA: "Possibly reaction products of chlorine may contribute to the development of asthma in high-risk groups. Especially trichloramine, a reaction product of chlorine and registered by swimmers urea, has come as asthma-causing substance in suspicion. Whether in fact a harmful effect on the lung starts in early childhood stage, and this leads to asthma, may be judged not final because of lack of data on the threshold level of trichloramine. Concerned parents of children under two years, accumulating in their families occur allergies, does the Federal Environmental Agency (UBA) to refrain from baby swimming for precautionary reasons,until to determine whether the suspicions are confirmed.»