Pool Problem

Updated on July 08, 2009
D.B. asks from New Baltimore, MI
16 answers

Alright......probably going to sound a little weird. My daughter who is 5 years old loves to swim, has no fear. We go to a friend's house with an inground heated pool quite often. Very clean and no one else has this problem including my other children. Every time my daughter goes swimming she has to get out of the pool numerous times and run to the bathroom with diarrhea. I mean she barley makes it and actually had an accident in her bathing suit. She feels fine and wants to go back in right away and then another 20 min goes by and shes running again. It's just so weird to me and when she is out of the pool for good it stops instantly. Just wondering if any other moms out there have ever had this problem. I heard maybe the heat bothers her but really she is outside every day and this only happens when swimming. Any advice or suggestions would be great! Thanks :)

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K.S.

answers from Detroit on

Yikes! What I DO know, is that anyone with diarrhea should NEVER get into a pool--it spreads like crazy.

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K.M.

answers from Detroit on

It sounds like fear or nerves. Maybe she is nervous and by the time she has to relax she gets diarriha. Or what other thing came to my mind is sometimes kids get loose stools if they intake pool water excidentally.

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J.H.

answers from Detroit on

I have heard that many kids drink the pool water while they're swimming and the chlorine causes the diarrhea... Which makes sense if it starts when she gets in the pool and stops as soon as she gets out...

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T.A.

answers from Detroit on

Hi! My then 5/6yr old had this exact problem-never one accident her whole life except this! I never found the source, but my suspicions were that she was just straining so much and working so hard to swim that it got her bowels moving-like you mentioned-it was diarrhea, and she was not able to make it out once or twice-she just thought she had gas. On the upside, she outgrew this by the next summer. God luck to you!

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M.M.

answers from Detroit on

She is probably swallowing a little of the chlorinated water, it will cause the same symptoms.

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L.A.

answers from Detroit on

My daughter had the same problem when she was that age. I wondered the same thing (too much sun, allergy to chlorine,etc?). Whatever it was, she now swims on a swim team and no longer has the problem, but I remember all the accidents she had in her bathing suit. It was awful. Part of the problem is getting out of the pool when she was having so much fun. Just make sure that she knows when to get out. I know it is awful, but I think it should pass with time and she may outgrow it (my daughter did). Good luck!

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K.M.

answers from Detroit on

It probably just relaxes her so much that it makes her need to go. If that is the only time it happens I don't think I would worry about it since it stops right away.

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C.V.

answers from Grand Rapids on

Hi D.,
I was always told that if my little guys were having trouble going poo to give them a warm bath because the warmth helps get things moving so maybe that's all that it is. I don't really know just a thought.
Chris

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K.K.

answers from Saginaw on

it is possible that she is sensitive or allergic to chlorine? There was just an article in the paper a few weeks ago about the levels of chlorine in the pool testing way higher than they should have been. There was a gentleman that had a chlorine sensitivity and he got very sick...and felt better once out of the pool.

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S.W.

answers from Detroit on

hey D.,

just shooting from the hip here. is she swallowing any of the pool water? whenever my son swims, in any type of water, he swallows a ton of water. he has never had trouble with pool water but the last time he swam in a lake he ended up with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea for the following two days. my suspicion is that he ended up fighting off some gook from the lake water. perhaps it is a chemical they are using in the pool water??

hope all goes better in the future. :-)

S.

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C.M.

answers from Detroit on

She could be allergic to the chemicals used in the pool. Alot of people are allergic to chlorine and don't know it. Just a thought.

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J.K.

answers from Detroit on

I'm pretty sure it's because she's swallowing too much of the water. This has happened to my daughter as well (she's still in diapers). She's completely fine otherwise but it generally happens about 15 min. after we exit the pool on a day she's swallowed more then usualy. All of that chlorine water runs right through them. I would check with your ped. but that would be my guess : )

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D.M.

answers from Detroit on

D., I'm sorry if I sounded 'harsh'. I definitely didnt' mean to offend! I just saw an opportunity to educate people on one of the 'hidden' dangers of pools. Maybe I read your post wrong, but this is a direct quote from your post:
"Every time my daughter goes swimming she has to get out of the pool numerous times and run to the bathroom with diarrhea. I mean she barley makes it and actually had an accident in her bathing suit. She feels fine and wants to go back in right away and then another 20 min goes by and shes running again."

I'm sorry, but those statements did disturb me (and obviously at least one other poster beside me)and I did state that this is terrible for you and your daughter. Then I posted the links to the CDC's recommendations concerning pools and human feces/diarrhea (even trace amounts). Sorry if you felt I was 'harsh'.

______________________________________________________________
Original post by D.
I was really disturbed when I read this post and felt I must answer. This is terrible for you and your daughter, but it also endangers anyone who enters this pool. I do not knowingly allow anyone with diarrhea into my pool for the following reasons given by the CDC:
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming/pdf/Fecal_Incident_Res...
and:
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming/diarrhea.htm
Until you find the source of her problerm, PLEASE don't allow your daughter into the pool for the safety of not only her, but everyone else.

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E.Z.

answers from Detroit on

Hey, D.,
I was just wondering whether your daughter has the same problems while taking a warm bath? Or is she only taking showers?
Best regards,
E. Z.

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A.S.

answers from Lansing on

Hmmm that is odd. The only thing I can think of (since nobody else has this happen to them) is that she's just so excited and anxious about being in the pool that it gives her the runs. There are many people that that happens to under different circumstances so it's very likely.

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E.R.

answers from Detroit on

Just a thought, because I don't think I can help you with an answer: Is she swallowing the water form the pool?

Good Luck

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