Infants who swim frequently at indoor chlorinated swimming pools are more prone to developing asthma, recurrent bronchitis, and other breathing problems as they grow older compared the those who do not swim at indoor pools. This was the finding of a study published in the journal Pediatrics.
In a study of 341 schoolchildren, Belgian researchers found that the 43 children who had been enrolled in a swimming program as when they were babies were about three times more likely to have asthma or suffer recurrent bouts of bronchitis than children who did not.
The researchers believe that harmful gases trapped indoors are to blame. One of them is trichloramine, or nitrogen trichloride, which is created when the chlorine reacts with organic substances like swimmers’ sweat, saliva or urine. Trichloramine is known to irritate the eyes and upper respiratory tract.
Previous studies have found that competitive swimmers and people who work and spend alot of time at the indoor swimming pool tend to have elevated rates of asthma.
Source: Bernard A et al “Infant swimming practice, pulmonary epithelium integrity, and the risk of allergic and respiratory diseases later in childhood” Pediatrics 2007 119(6):1095-103; Jacobs JH et al “Exposure to trichloramine and respiratory symptoms in indoor swimming pool workers” European Respiratory Journal 2007;29:690-698
Chapter: Asthma :: 10 July 2007
