Swimming for Children Wth Asthma

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Swimming for Children Wth Asthma

Question:

I have an 8-month-old son and a 4-year-old daughter and they both have asthma. My husband wants to enroll them in swimming lessons this summer. He said someone told him that swimming is good for kids with asthma, that it's supposed to exercise their lungs and make them stronger. I think the opposite — it's a lot of exercise for little kids and would only trigger their asthma and make them start coughing again. Does swimming really help kids with asthma?

Answer:

As with most marital disagreements, both of you are right — and both of you are wrong.

Exercise is absolutely a good idea for kids with asthma. It goes a long way toward keeping all kids healthy, and toward preventing obesity, which is becoming epidemic among children in the U.S. Exercise can also improve asthma. Studies show that it can help children with asthma breathe better. And swimming is a good choice because it is less likely to cause asthma symptoms than other forms of exercise.

But … in a small study done in Belgium, children who swam as infants in chlorinated swimming pools were more likely to have asthma later in childhood. It appeared that the chlorine may have damaged the lining of the lungs. And the American Academy of Pediatrics doesn't recommend swimming lessons for children under the age of 4 because before then children aren't developmentally ready to learn to swim (and might end up with a false sense of security around water).

I'd suggest a compromise — another thing that's common to many marital disagreements. Don't enroll the 8-month-old — wait until he can really learn. Go ahead and enroll the 4-year-old, but look for a pool that is well ventilated. An outdoor pool would be best. Talk to your doctor about using asthma medications to prevent any problems — and make sure both of your children are seeing the doctor regularly to monitor their asthma.

Last updated:	March 03, 2009