Children getting blisters from swimming pool.?

Question

We have an inground pool and two of my children suffer from red buring spots on their hands and toes after they have been swimming for a few hours. My feeling is it may be from the chlorine or other chemicals. I have read posts about similar situations and the people answering seemed to think it was from hanging onto the sides or the pool and getting blisters from the friction. Our pool has smooth plaster, and my 12 year year old doesn't hang on the side. Also, this occurs in any pool she swims in and has for years. This is the first year that my three year old has gotten the sores, and the ones on his toes will bleed - he is spending a lot more time in the pool this year as he has more fun now that he is a good little swimmer.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any soloutions?

Thank you!

Answer 1

i have been a lifeguard, pool operator and water safety instructor for 9 years, and it sounds to me what we in the biz refer to as "pool toe."  even though you say your pool has smooth plaster, we recently had ours refinished with plaster and have since seen this particular phenomena constantly. the contractor said that plaster surfaces SEEM smooth, but can actually cause a lot of friction on little hands and feet, particularly when you add water and chemicals to the mix.  

you don't say whether these spots are on their palms and soles, but if so i would strongly suspect it is "pool toe" and not chemical burns, which, as someone else mentioned above, would cause burning in their eyes and other mucous membranes.

the only solution we've seen is to either get water shoes for the kids or just wait until their skin toughens up and calluses form.

Answer 2

Does your pool have pebble tech?  If so then this is a common condition not caused by roughness but water softened skin that becomes stressed by the irregular surface texture of pebble.  Solution, get those water mocs they sell this time of year at the stores they are like rubber booties and offer more protection.  May also work to allow their skin to heal if you don't have pebble tech.

I would also thoroughly check your pool plaster surface with a swim mask.  Be critical.  Minor surface blemishes can be smoothed out with 80grit wet dry sandpaper if on the edges of steps and ledges.  Don't go crazy here!

I don't think your kids have a chlorine or chemical reaction here but some sort of mechanical abrasion is going on.  Do the wounds heal quickly?  Hand abrasion can be caused by coping particularly safety grip with the heavy salt finish they use will have a salt cavity with a sharp surface edge.  Loot closely at the coping near the top step and areas they get in and out of a lot.  These can be treated with a moto tool and any of the abrasive bits they make that would fit in the hole, the objective here would be to smooth the edge of the suspected cavity.

You're welcome!!

Answer 3

It sounds as though your children are reacting to what is in the pool. They may just have very sensitive skin. I would look into testing for irritants or things they are allergic to--plus a gentler chemical for the pool--if it exists.

Answer 4

it doesn't make much sense that their hands and feet would have sores and not the rest of their body if they were allergic to chlorine right? so my take on it is that your kids are just in the pool for excessively long periods of time.  try getting them out after an hour or 2.  this will most likely help because the longer your children are in the pool the more water their skin will absorb, in turn it will become pruny and weak and *peel off* more easily.  i highlight this because that is whats causing all this. the red sores mean your kids' skin is becoming raw from peeling off too much

my only solutions are the one above, and let your kids play without shoes on more(it will cause the pads on their feet to toughen up)

good luck :)

Answer 5

If it is happening to both your kids I'd suggest having them tested for a chlorine allergy and having the chlorine levels in the pool checked more regularly If they do have one then you should have an outdoor shower installed and have 15 minuute out of the pool periods every ninety minutes or so where they have to rinse all the chlorine off their bodies and dry off for a little while thats what my mother did and I grew out of my allergies around about 15 and I still swam alot and was a member of my school swim team

Answer 6

they are probably alergic to the chlorine. are you or is the father or any one related to you have the same problems? that might have something to do with it,

i hope i helped

Answer 7

I haven't experienced it but it could be an alleric reaction to the cholorine or chemicals

Answer 8

1) Have you ruled out sun or thermal burn?

2) Test your pool chemicals - if you suspect a chemical burn, get it tested. Now, chemical burns in a pool are much harder to get. If the chorline is THAT high, your kids would have stinging eyes.

3) Consult a doctor.