Is swimming okay?

CartersMom · Feb 16, 2008

I would love some feedback as to everyone's thoughts about swimming. I've read in all the books etc. about how good it is for CFers. However, my son's doctors seem to be hesitant about it. They talk about how it is such a "germ-pool" and a pseudomonas breeding ground. My son is two. He was just diagnosed 5 months ago. They seem to think it would be better to wait until he is a little older. One doctor says pools are better than lakes, the other would prefer lakes over pools. We spend a lot of time at the lake and camping....does this mean we can't let him play on the beach too? If some of you could let me know your thoughts or what your doctors have told you in regards to swimming and toddlers, I would really appreciate it!

CartersMom · Feb 16, 2008

I would love some feedback as to everyone's thoughts about swimming. I've read in all the books etc. about how good it is for CFers. However, my son's doctors seem to be hesitant about it. They talk about how it is such a "germ-pool" and a pseudomonas breeding ground. My son is two. He was just diagnosed 5 months ago. They seem to think it would be better to wait until he is a little older. One doctor says pools are better than lakes, the other would prefer lakes over pools. We spend a lot of time at the lake and camping....does this mean we can't let him play on the beach too? If some of you could let me know your thoughts or what your doctors have told you in regards to swimming and toddlers, I would really appreciate it!

CartersMom · Feb 16, 2008

I would love some feedback as to everyone's thoughts about swimming. I've read in all the books etc. about how good it is for CFers. However, my son's doctors seem to be hesitant about it. They talk about how it is such a "germ-pool" and a pseudomonas breeding ground. My son is two. He was just diagnosed 5 months ago. They seem to think it would be better to wait until he is a little older. One doctor says pools are better than lakes, the other would prefer lakes over pools. We spend a lot of time at the lake and camping....does this mean we can't let him play on the beach too? If some of you could let me know your thoughts or what your doctors have told you in regards to swimming and toddlers, I would really appreciate it!

CartersMom · Feb 16, 2008

I would love some feedback as to everyone's thoughts about swimming. I've read in all the books etc. about how good it is for CFers. However, my son's doctors seem to be hesitant about it. They talk about how it is such a "germ-pool" and a pseudomonas breeding ground. My son is two. He was just diagnosed 5 months ago. They seem to think it would be better to wait until he is a little older. One doctor says pools are better than lakes, the other would prefer lakes over pools. We spend a lot of time at the lake and camping....does this mean we can't let him play on the beach too? If some of you could let me know your thoughts or what your doctors have told you in regards to swimming and toddlers, I would really appreciate it!

CartersMom · Feb 16, 2008

I would love some feedback as to everyone's thoughts about swimming. I've read in all the books etc. about how good it is for CFers. However, my son's doctors seem to be hesitant about it. They talk about how it is such a "germ-pool" and a pseudomonas breeding ground. My son is two. He was just diagnosed 5 months ago. They seem to think it would be better to wait until he is a little older. One doctor says pools are better than lakes, the other would prefer lakes over pools. We spend a lot of time at the lake and camping....does this mean we can't let him play on the beach too? If some of you could let me know your thoughts or what your doctors have told you in regards to swimming and toddlers, I would really appreciate it!

Rebjane · Feb 16, 2008

I remember feeling apprehensive letting my daughter swim too. First off, swimming is excellent exercize, great for building strong lungs, and heart, as well as it's just fun. My daughter swims at our local YMCA(chlorinated pool). We also take her to the beach, and lakes(the lake we swim in I feel is clean). She's swam at hotel pools and vacation, etc. The one place I won't let her swim is in a hot tub, because of pseudomonas and I think hot tubs are just too hot for children anyway. I think if the pool is well-maintained and chlorinated you should be just fine. You can even request that info. Our doc had said sometimes chlorine can irritate the lungs, but I haven't noted that to be a problem for my daughter. She loves to swim and I feel it works up a great appetite for our CF'ers , another added bonus<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0"> Oh, and my daughter dug in the sand at the age of two, loved to build sand castles and trenches on the beach.

Rebjane · Feb 16, 2008

I remember feeling apprehensive letting my daughter swim too. First off, swimming is excellent exercize, great for building strong lungs, and heart, as well as it's just fun. My daughter swims at our local YMCA(chlorinated pool). We also take her to the beach, and lakes(the lake we swim in I feel is clean). She's swam at hotel pools and vacation, etc. The one place I won't let her swim is in a hot tub, because of pseudomonas and I think hot tubs are just too hot for children anyway. I think if the pool is well-maintained and chlorinated you should be just fine. You can even request that info. Our doc had said sometimes chlorine can irritate the lungs, but I haven't noted that to be a problem for my daughter. She loves to swim and I feel it works up a great appetite for our CF'ers , another added bonus<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0"> Oh, and my daughter dug in the sand at the age of two, loved to build sand castles and trenches on the beach.

Rebjane · Feb 16, 2008

I remember feeling apprehensive letting my daughter swim too. First off, swimming is excellent exercize, great for building strong lungs, and heart, as well as it's just fun. My daughter swims at our local YMCA(chlorinated pool). We also take her to the beach, and lakes(the lake we swim in I feel is clean). She's swam at hotel pools and vacation, etc. The one place I won't let her swim is in a hot tub, because of pseudomonas and I think hot tubs are just too hot for children anyway. I think if the pool is well-maintained and chlorinated you should be just fine. You can even request that info. Our doc had said sometimes chlorine can irritate the lungs, but I haven't noted that to be a problem for my daughter. She loves to swim and I feel it works up a great appetite for our CF'ers , another added bonus<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0"> Oh, and my daughter dug in the sand at the age of two, loved to build sand castles and trenches on the beach.

Rebjane · Feb 16, 2008

I remember feeling apprehensive letting my daughter swim too. First off, swimming is excellent exercize, great for building strong lungs, and heart, as well as it's just fun. My daughter swims at our local YMCA(chlorinated pool). We also take her to the beach, and lakes(the lake we swim in I feel is clean). She's swam at hotel pools and vacation, etc. The one place I won't let her swim is in a hot tub, because of pseudomonas and I think hot tubs are just too hot for children anyway. I think if the pool is well-maintained and chlorinated you should be just fine. You can even request that info. Our doc had said sometimes chlorine can irritate the lungs, but I haven't noted that to be a problem for my daughter. She loves to swim and I feel it works up a great appetite for our CF'ers , another added bonus<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0"> Oh, and my daughter dug in the sand at the age of two, loved to build sand castles and trenches on the beach.

Rebjane · Feb 16, 2008

I remember feeling apprehensive letting my daughter swim too. First off, swimming is excellent exercize, great for building strong lungs, and heart, as well as it's just fun. My daughter swims at our local YMCA(chlorinated pool). We also take her to the beach, and lakes(the lake we swim in I feel is clean). She's swam at hotel pools and vacation, etc. The one place I won't let her swim is in a hot tub, because of pseudomonas and I think hot tubs are just too hot for children anyway. I think if the pool is well-maintained and chlorinated you should be just fine. You can even request that info. Our doc had said sometimes chlorine can irritate the lungs, but I haven't noted that to be a problem for my daughter. She loves to swim and I feel it works up a great appetite for our CF'ers , another added bonus<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0"> Oh, and my daughter dug in the sand at the age of two, loved to build sand castles and trenches on the beach.

Mommafirst · Feb 17, 2008

Hi Cartersmom --

I don't know that there is one RIGHT answer here. On one hand, as parents of CF kiddos, we feel it is our responsibility to protect them from all the yuckies that could come their way. On the other hand, I've yet to find a hermetically sealed bubble in my daughters size. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> There needs to be a balance, and we just have to find where it is. We've decided that my daughter should get to enjoy being a kid, with some cautions. She'll swim in pools (well maintained, chlorinated) and oceans, but not in lakes FOR NOW. She's just two. When she's 8 or 12 or 20 (lol) and she wants to go to the lake with friends, I don't think we'll keep her away from that kind of fun -- so long as we know that the lake isn't having contamination problems, etc.

I most definitely want to help my daughter learn the best way to stay healthy. But I also don't think its much of a life if she can't enjoy some of the basic things that make being a kid fun.

I hope this helps!!! Its hard, and you'll probably get lots of divergent opinions here. BUT our CF docs said swimming is just fine, but to avoid hot tubs.

Mommafirst · Feb 17, 2008

Hi Cartersmom --

I don't know that there is one RIGHT answer here. On one hand, as parents of CF kiddos, we feel it is our responsibility to protect them from all the yuckies that could come their way. On the other hand, I've yet to find a hermetically sealed bubble in my daughters size. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> There needs to be a balance, and we just have to find where it is. We've decided that my daughter should get to enjoy being a kid, with some cautions. She'll swim in pools (well maintained, chlorinated) and oceans, but not in lakes FOR NOW. She's just two. When she's 8 or 12 or 20 (lol) and she wants to go to the lake with friends, I don't think we'll keep her away from that kind of fun -- so long as we know that the lake isn't having contamination problems, etc.

I most definitely want to help my daughter learn the best way to stay healthy. But I also don't think its much of a life if she can't enjoy some of the basic things that make being a kid fun.

I hope this helps!!! Its hard, and you'll probably get lots of divergent opinions here. BUT our CF docs said swimming is just fine, but to avoid hot tubs.

Mommafirst · Feb 17, 2008

Hi Cartersmom --

I don't know that there is one RIGHT answer here. On one hand, as parents of CF kiddos, we feel it is our responsibility to protect them from all the yuckies that could come their way. On the other hand, I've yet to find a hermetically sealed bubble in my daughters size. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> There needs to be a balance, and we just have to find where it is. We've decided that my daughter should get to enjoy being a kid, with some cautions. She'll swim in pools (well maintained, chlorinated) and oceans, but not in lakes FOR NOW. She's just two. When she's 8 or 12 or 20 (lol) and she wants to go to the lake with friends, I don't think we'll keep her away from that kind of fun -- so long as we know that the lake isn't having contamination problems, etc.

I most definitely want to help my daughter learn the best way to stay healthy. But I also don't think its much of a life if she can't enjoy some of the basic things that make being a kid fun.

I hope this helps!!! Its hard, and you'll probably get lots of divergent opinions here. BUT our CF docs said swimming is just fine, but to avoid hot tubs.

Mommafirst · Feb 17, 2008

Hi Cartersmom --

I don't know that there is one RIGHT answer here. On one hand, as parents of CF kiddos, we feel it is our responsibility to protect them from all the yuckies that could come their way. On the other hand, I've yet to find a hermetically sealed bubble in my daughters size. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> There needs to be a balance, and we just have to find where it is. We've decided that my daughter should get to enjoy being a kid, with some cautions. She'll swim in pools (well maintained, chlorinated) and oceans, but not in lakes FOR NOW. She's just two. When she's 8 or 12 or 20 (lol) and she wants to go to the lake with friends, I don't think we'll keep her away from that kind of fun -- so long as we know that the lake isn't having contamination problems, etc.

I most definitely want to help my daughter learn the best way to stay healthy. But I also don't think its much of a life if she can't enjoy some of the basic things that make being a kid fun.

I hope this helps!!! Its hard, and you'll probably get lots of divergent opinions here. BUT our CF docs said swimming is just fine, but to avoid hot tubs.

Mommafirst · Feb 17, 2008

Hi Cartersmom --

I don't know that there is one RIGHT answer here. On one hand, as parents of CF kiddos, we feel it is our responsibility to protect them from all the yuckies that could come their way. On the other hand, I've yet to find a hermetically sealed bubble in my daughters size. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> There needs to be a balance, and we just have to find where it is. We've decided that my daughter should get to enjoy being a kid, with some cautions. She'll swim in pools (well maintained, chlorinated) and oceans, but not in lakes FOR NOW. She's just two. When she's 8 or 12 or 20 (lol) and she wants to go to the lake with friends, I don't think we'll keep her away from that kind of fun -- so long as we know that the lake isn't having contamination problems, etc.

I most definitely want to help my daughter learn the best way to stay healthy. But I also don't think its much of a life if she can't enjoy some of the basic things that make being a kid fun.

I hope this helps!!! Its hard, and you'll probably get lots of divergent opinions here. BUT our CF docs said swimming is just fine, but to avoid hot tubs.

LouLou · Feb 17, 2008

Well if you aren't going to have him swim you shouldn't have him shower either. The idea of swimming being bad is because PA grows in water (as well as some other bugs that can colonize in cfers lungs/sinuses).

As a cfer I'm so glad I got to go to summer camp and learn to waterski on a lake, learned to sail at a young age in the ocean and was part of a competitive swim team. Oh and I'm glad I know how to swim. Whenever I hear someone doesn't know how to swim I think it's so low class JMHO.

Funny story...I recently heard about a local 14 yr old cfer that has never taken a shower in her life. This came up in a discussion she was having with some other cf moms and how her daughter needed a private room when she goes to college and a tub. The mothers all asked "Why a tub?" Mom replied, because ____ doesn't take showers in order to avoid PA. One mom asked, "What about when she goes under water in the tub?" Mom replied she doesn't go under and she doesn't wash her face either! At this point she pulled out a picture of her daughter who was beautiful according to those who saw the picture. Oh and she's never cultured PA according to mom.

My son goes to the center (CHOP) where this girl goes and I can tell you the doctors didn't tell her to do this.

This is one of those things that you are going to have to make up your mind about. One idea is that you could hold off for a while which could help staave off PA and then only when he seems very interested then begin swim lessons.

LouLou · Feb 17, 2008

Well if you aren't going to have him swim you shouldn't have him shower either. The idea of swimming being bad is because PA grows in water (as well as some other bugs that can colonize in cfers lungs/sinuses).

As a cfer I'm so glad I got to go to summer camp and learn to waterski on a lake, learned to sail at a young age in the ocean and was part of a competitive swim team. Oh and I'm glad I know how to swim. Whenever I hear someone doesn't know how to swim I think it's so low class JMHO.

Funny story...I recently heard about a local 14 yr old cfer that has never taken a shower in her life. This came up in a discussion she was having with some other cf moms and how her daughter needed a private room when she goes to college and a tub. The mothers all asked "Why a tub?" Mom replied, because ____ doesn't take showers in order to avoid PA. One mom asked, "What about when she goes under water in the tub?" Mom replied she doesn't go under and she doesn't wash her face either! At this point she pulled out a picture of her daughter who was beautiful according to those who saw the picture. Oh and she's never cultured PA according to mom.

My son goes to the center (CHOP) where this girl goes and I can tell you the doctors didn't tell her to do this.

This is one of those things that you are going to have to make up your mind about. One idea is that you could hold off for a while which could help staave off PA and then only when he seems very interested then begin swim lessons.

LouLou · Feb 17, 2008

Well if you aren't going to have him swim you shouldn't have him shower either. The idea of swimming being bad is because PA grows in water (as well as some other bugs that can colonize in cfers lungs/sinuses).

As a cfer I'm so glad I got to go to summer camp and learn to waterski on a lake, learned to sail at a young age in the ocean and was part of a competitive swim team. Oh and I'm glad I know how to swim. Whenever I hear someone doesn't know how to swim I think it's so low class JMHO.

Funny story...I recently heard about a local 14 yr old cfer that has never taken a shower in her life. This came up in a discussion she was having with some other cf moms and how her daughter needed a private room when she goes to college and a tub. The mothers all asked "Why a tub?" Mom replied, because ____ doesn't take showers in order to avoid PA. One mom asked, "What about when she goes under water in the tub?" Mom replied she doesn't go under and she doesn't wash her face either! At this point she pulled out a picture of her daughter who was beautiful according to those who saw the picture. Oh and she's never cultured PA according to mom.

My son goes to the center (CHOP) where this girl goes and I can tell you the doctors didn't tell her to do this.

This is one of those things that you are going to have to make up your mind about. One idea is that you could hold off for a while which could help staave off PA and then only when he seems very interested then begin swim lessons.

LouLou · Feb 17, 2008

Well if you aren't going to have him swim you shouldn't have him shower either. The idea of swimming being bad is because PA grows in water (as well as some other bugs that can colonize in cfers lungs/sinuses).

As a cfer I'm so glad I got to go to summer camp and learn to waterski on a lake, learned to sail at a young age in the ocean and was part of a competitive swim team. Oh and I'm glad I know how to swim. Whenever I hear someone doesn't know how to swim I think it's so low class JMHO.

Funny story...I recently heard about a local 14 yr old cfer that has never taken a shower in her life. This came up in a discussion she was having with some other cf moms and how her daughter needed a private room when she goes to college and a tub. The mothers all asked "Why a tub?" Mom replied, because ____ doesn't take showers in order to avoid PA. One mom asked, "What about when she goes under water in the tub?" Mom replied she doesn't go under and she doesn't wash her face either! At this point she pulled out a picture of her daughter who was beautiful according to those who saw the picture. Oh and she's never cultured PA according to mom.

My son goes to the center (CHOP) where this girl goes and I can tell you the doctors didn't tell her to do this.

This is one of those things that you are going to have to make up your mind about. One idea is that you could hold off for a while which could help staave off PA and then only when he seems very interested then begin swim lessons.

LouLou · Feb 17, 2008

Well if you aren't going to have him swim you shouldn't have him shower either. The idea of swimming being bad is because PA grows in water (as well as some other bugs that can colonize in cfers lungs/sinuses).

As a cfer I'm so glad I got to go to summer camp and learn to waterski on a lake, learned to sail at a young age in the ocean and was part of a competitive swim team. Oh and I'm glad I know how to swim. Whenever I hear someone doesn't know how to swim I think it's so low class JMHO.

Funny story...I recently heard about a local 14 yr old cfer that has never taken a shower in her life. This came up in a discussion she was having with some other cf moms and how her daughter needed a private room when she goes to college and a tub. The mothers all asked "Why a tub?" Mom replied, because ____ doesn't take showers in order to avoid PA. One mom asked, "What about when she goes under water in the tub?" Mom replied she doesn't go under and she doesn't wash her face either! At this point she pulled out a picture of her daughter who was beautiful according to those who saw the picture. Oh and she's never cultured PA according to mom.

My son goes to the center (CHOP) where this girl goes and I can tell you the doctors didn't tell her to do this.

This is one of those things that you are going to have to make up your mind about. One idea is that you could hold off for a while which could help staave off PA and then only when he seems very interested then begin swim lessons.

Is swimming okay?

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