Men's Health

Swim, Don't Swallow: Water-Borne Illnesses at New Highs

Who Me? Sick?

After relieving themselves (pun intended) of the above opinions, respondents to the ORC poll reported:

• 72% had red eyes
• 32% had ear infections
• 20% had a rash
• 10% had eye infections
• 6% got a respiratory or urinary tract infections
• 5% got a skin infection
• 4% experienced diarrhea

Michael W. Shannon, MD, is chief of emergency medicine at Children's Hospital in Boston. He says there seems to be a natural uptick in gastrointestinal illnesses in kids in summer, but he had never related it to gulping pool water before. "You could argue we are not looking for the pool as a cause," Shannon says. "Now I will be."

Eyeball Before You Cannonball

The Centers for Disease Control recommends using your senses to evaluate a pool before jumping in:

• Sight. The water should look clean, clear, and blue -- all the way to the bottom. You should be able to see the drain and the stripes on the bottom. Be sure the water is constantly lapping over the grills to be filtered.
• Touch. The sides of the pool should be smooth, not slippery or sticky. A handful of water should not stick to your hands.
• Smell. Chlorine should not have a strong smell. A strong chlorine-like odor can mean chloramines -- which are chemicals comprised of chlorine mixed with body oil, sweat, urine, saliva, lotions, and feces.
• Sound. Listen for pool-cleaning equipment.

How to Be a Good Pool Citizen

• Report problems to the pool manager; don't pretend it's "not you."
• Don't swim if you have diarrhea.
• Don't swallow water -- swim with your mouth closed, breathing only when your mouth is out of the water.
• Take a shower before swimming.
• Wash hands after changing a baby's diaper (and change kids in the bathroom not next to the pool).
• Take the kids on potty breaks, whether they ask or not. Check diapers often. If you hear, "I have to go," this can mean the child is already "going."
• Wash kids before swimming, especially their hind parts.
• Toddlers should wear special "swim diapers" and even these are not foolproof.

In the ORC poll, most people said it was the pool owner's responsibility to keep the pool clean. Only a fifth said it was the task of the swimmers or parents.

But think about it -- how many pool owners will you see gulping pool water this year in a public pool?

"Right now there is no quick fix for water-borne illnesses," Beach says. "Standards vary by state. All you can do is be realistic. Chlorine does not kill everything."

Don't stop swimming, he says, but be healthy and responsible about it.