Swimming and coughing asthmatic child - Asthma Community ...

Asthma Community Forum

21,493 members24,400 posts

Swimming and coughing asthmatic child

J-1985 profile image
21 Replies

Hi all

I have a toddler with asthma diagnosed and stable on medication

Does anyone else get a cough 1/2 days after swimming? Wondering if some smaller pools chlorine irritate him, big pools never an issue

Twice now been swimming in hotel small pool and develops his typical asthma cough ?! Thanks

Written by
J-1985 profile image
J-1985
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
21 Replies
risabel59 profile image
risabel59

This is not uncommon. Indoor Swimming pools can definitely trigger asthma, and used to trigger my daughter when she was little. It does depend a bit on the pool, the chemicals they use and the ventilation. However swimming is a good exercise for anyone with asthma. I think if it smells very chlorinated then give it a miss.

R

J-1985 profile image
J-1985 in reply to risabel59

Thanks I thought I was going mad

Yeh two small hotel pools both given him coughs altho I guess could be germs

I'll stick to big pools with proper ventilation thankyou x

Sam750 profile image
Sam750 in reply to risabel59

My little girl has brittle asthma and exactly 48 hrs after swimming (however big or well maintained the pool is) you becomes really poorly infact up until recently she always ended up in hospital. Give him 10 puffs on the blue inhaler before and after swimming and again the next morning. We have found this helps and we have less visits to intensive care.

J-1985 profile image
J-1985 in reply to Sam750

Isn't it weird!! Never effects him the big public pools just two hotel small pools

Ok will do that if we go hotel pool again

What is brittle asthma? My son is on both inhalers and montelkast tablets

Yeh we've had to be in a&e few times but luckily never admitted to intensive care x we started a asthma plan a asthma nurse gave us and she said at first sign of being unwell like runny nose or cough start 1 puff five breaths religiously every four hours

And last three times is kept him out of a&e and off steroid tablets and antibiotics x

Sam750 profile image
Sam750 in reply to J-1985

Its severe asthma i guess. She spends loads of time in hospital, she can get up in the morning fine and within a couple of hours we are in intensive care. She has been in and out since she was 10 months and she is now 5. We normally go in hospital every 6 weeks from September until May then a couple of good months, i dread September because i know the slightest cold and we will be in hospital and you never get used to seeing your baby so poorly.

J-1985 profile image
J-1985 in reply to Sam750

No it's awful isn't it

Gosh that sounds intense

Yeh April we had bad time I think it was from rapeseed had to call ambulance as after 20 puffs he couldn't catch his breath still and hes only 2

Is she on both inhalers and montelkust ?

I do think this plan now works for my son as had asthma attacks and coughs but managed to avoid a&e and got rid of coughs on own even if they did last four weeks x

Sam750 profile image
Sam750 in reply to J-1985

She is on Seritide, salbutamol, motelukast and steroids. They have to be careful what they can give her as most medications are for over 6, which she is next month so hopefully we can try new meds.

J-1985 profile image
J-1985 in reply to Sam750

Aw hope they can add something else in for her

V stressful being a mum with asthmatic child

Sam750 profile image
Sam750 in reply to J-1985

It's the worst, and school are terrified of it so she gets sent home loads. They are just covering their own backs but it doesnt help with the amount of time she looses.

J-1985 profile image
J-1985 in reply to Sam750

Oh no! I bet there really scared

Yeh my son has missed loads nursery days from it, as don't trust anyone enough to pick up the signs he's about to have an attack x

Problem is the nursery and schools full of colds and coughs and then this is 100% worse for asthmatic child

Sam750 profile image
Sam750 in reply to J-1985

We can only hope they grow out of it.

J-1985 profile image
J-1985 in reply to Sam750

Yeh my husband did but my father didn't so I pray and I hope my next child doesn't have it

Have you got any more children ?

Sam750 profile image
Sam750 in reply to J-1985

Yeah a 9 year old who was diagnosed this year with asthma. He has the brown and blue inhalers. He has never needed to go to hospital so its not as severe as his sister.

Sam750 profile image
Sam750 in reply to Sam750

He also suffers when we go swimming but he develops a cough (like croup) and he has a blocked nose for days.

J-1985 profile image
J-1985 in reply to Sam750

That's exactly what my son had croup like cough and now bunged nose

Think I'll avoid swimming over winter

Sam750 profile image
Sam750 in reply to J-1985

I was advised to buy him a nose clip, give him piriton and prevent him from putting his head under water. He hated the clip and can only swim under water so he doesn't swim any more.

J-1985 profile image
J-1985 in reply to Sam750

Oh that's a positive I guess

You'll be expert in the field then!

Sam750 profile image
Sam750 in reply to J-1985

You have to know everything to ensure your kids are getting the right treatment and care when you aren't around. Sadly people don't realise Asthma is a killer, they think a few puffs on an inhaler and everything is ok.

J-1985 profile image
J-1985 in reply to Sam750

Yeh definitely!

MaggieHP profile image
MaggieHP

I have an allergic response to chlorine (as do other members of my family). Usually it manifests as allergic rhinitis, but there was certainly one occasion when I had an asthma attack whilst in a swimming pool when I was a child.

As Risabel says, it does depend on the pool. Some are so bad that I can feel my eyes beginning to react when I step into the building. That said, I have been able to go swimming in outdoor pools, so long as I don't put my head under the water. But for indoor pools, unless I wear both goggles and a nose clip, swimming is not something I do.

J-1985 profile image
J-1985 in reply to MaggieHP

See it's odd as for two days he's fine and then starts coughing that was September at hotel pool but actually now today he sounds like croup

I will keep an eye out as ok in big public pools! Oh the joys of having asthmatic toddler!

You may also like...

new asthmatic needs help please

Advice please. Late onset asthma diagnosed 9 months ago.( age 71) Managed fine on clenil modulate

Bronchostop Cough Medicine

Hi, anyone with asthma used Bronchostop cough medicine?Just bought some but it advises asthmatics to

Infection without cough or fever?

without a cough or fever? I've just gotten over a cold (2nd one in a month) and again my asthma is...

Cough-variant asthma

ambulance medics, hospital staff and others. Many have not much knowledge of cough-variant asthma...

Main symptom asthma cough

Hi All Anyone here have asthma where their main symptom is a dry cough! Triggers are cleaning...