I just read in Parents magazine that psuedomonas is present in swimming pools. I knew hot tubs were to be avoided but had not been advised on pools. My three year old swam all last year and never was sick. Maybe I was lucky! Has anyone been advised by a physician concerning this? Thanks
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psueudomonas and swimming pools
- Thread starter anonymous
- Start date
We were told when Emily was little that swimming is the best form of exercise for CF children because it's all upper body. Itybuilds the upper body and makes them strong...good for respiratory. Pseudomonas is in so many places that it's hard to avoid unless you lock your kids in a closet.
NoDayButToday
New member
I've only been told pseudomonas CAN be a problem in indoor pools, as well as fungi and other bacteria if the pool is not maintained and kept very clean. So my whole life, I've avoided indoor pools as much as possibly, but I swim in an outdoor pool almost everyday during the summer.
AbsintheSorrow
New member
Okay, I've made this point before, but with this point I feel the need to make it again. I don't say this assuming everyone does it, but it sounds like some of you might be. So here goes. Let me start by asking a question... What good does it do to add maybe six months to your child's life by "being careful" if their entire lives are lived in a closet? You can try and shelter your kids from everything that might let them contract A or B, but what's the point? You can make hand-washing important without forbidding the kids to go swim when they want. You can never keep everything harmful from your kids. I'll throw in my own personal experience. I have, I think, 3 different strains of pseudomonas. But in contracting these infections, I live my life. I have fun, I go out, I swim when I want. I go into public when I want despite what cold or flu may be going around. I tried smoking pot, I drink now and then. My parents know of these things and let them happen. Instead of trying to forbid harmful or dangerous things (mind you, I drink, but know better than to drink and drive), they let me live, try stuff, and make my own mistakes. I deal with these infections maybe twice or thrice a year when they start growing again, and I don't regret any of it. They're worth it. Yes, I have infections. Your kids will too at some point. It's inevitable. But I have a good life, and I've never been locked in a closet. As a CFer, I will tell you, if you try and shut your kids in a box, they will use their own minds at some point and rebel and it'll end up being something you regret. And as I started with a question, I shall also finish with one... If it was you, would you prefer living an extra six months by being too careful, or living maybe a little bit shorter, but a full and lovely life? Think of it in quality, instead of quantity. <img src="i/expressions/rose.gif" border="0">
We encourage our daughter (4 yrs old) to swim as well. I just registered her for indoor swimming for the spring season and she got a bad ear infection so we are taking her out. A few parents I know (children without CF) were told to avoid swimming indoors because a lot of bacteria grows.We want her to know how to swim in the summer so that she can play with her friends and get some relief from the hot summer months. I will not put her in indoor swimming because of her ear infections but that is a personal choice and has nothing to do with her CF.You can get pseudomonas from a bath or shower or washing your hands because it is in all water (at least that is what we were told).
(mother of matthew 2.5 in oz)What sort of 'quality' is spending your life as a young child/infant in hospital -away from the security & love of a home environment - in hospital?I agree that you can't wrap them in a bubble per say. However I think you can make reasonable precautions during their first years - this is when they are growing, developing and getting stronger - they are laying the foundations for the rest of their lives! The foundations are also paved for emotional and mental security at this age for the rest of their lives.We have had 1 hospital admission nearly a year ago for 16 days - I definately think this affected him emotionally - he has gotten over it - however I think there are long term issues with staying at peoples homes etc, that were never there before.We go out - but I am strict in the contact that we have with people with illnesses such as colds,flus,gastric infections, lung/bronchial infections etc and definately with cigarette smoking in my sons presence - especially in our own home. I know we cant do it forever - or much longer - however I have a very healthy little boy who still has a normal life and lots of contact with other children.Our hospital said that swimming and jumping on tramp are the best forms of exercise for CFers. They also spoke about psueudomonas and to avoid swimming in heated pools/spas - specifically public pools - private we have been given the go ahead since he was two. During the summer - we did take him to the public pool for lessons - I do think he may have picked something up from there though. We stopped these lessons going into autumn though.Cassie.
AbsintheSorrow
New member
My parents never took any unnecessary precuations (we avoided smoke pretty much... but if we wanted to go out into public, and there were sick people there.. we went anyway... sick people tend to hang out in public). It's actually good to expose the kid to some regular colds and stuff, he needs to build up immunity. I'm not saying surround him with pneumonia, or anything ridiculous, but a cold is not going to kill him. Either way, my point is, the only thing we avoided at any length was cigarette smoke, and I never had a hospitalization due to infection until I was 16. Could be partially because of luck, but could also be partially because my parents weren't overprotective and didn't make me wash my hands 30 times a day.
i agree about under exposure causing problems long term; the immune system develops as the child is exposed to certain MINOR illnesses like little colds etc. wrapping them up too much could technically mean they find it harder to fight off infection later on and pick up everything going, because they didnt have it when they were younger!mind you there is NO right or wrong. everyone just does what they think is best, its just worth bearing in mind that you can get too extreme. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
Emily
I need help understanding how a small child may have gotten pseudomonas. I have a friend who lost there 16 month old baby the doctors say was due to pseudomonas, they feel it may have been an undected urine infection. The doctors never did a blood or urine culture at any time where the parents think they would have caught it before it was too late.
I need help understanding how a small child may have gotten pseudomonas. I have a friend who lost there 16 month old baby the doctors say was due to pseudomonas, they feel it may have been an undected urine infection. The doctors never did a blood or urine culture at any time where the parents think they would have caught it before it was too late.
AbsintheSorrow
New member
I don't mind, but I'm curious as to why you're asking me?
I have to agree with those that said not to keep children in a closet. I have seen a little of both sides of the situation. My family has four children with CF and my parents never resticted us from doing anything. Every so often the doctors would tell us that we shouldn't, or couldn't do something and that just made us work harder to achieve what we were trying. Although my parents sometimes worried about us, they never told us we couldn't do it. Growing up I had a friend with CF whose parents were just the opposite. They would not let him do anything. He lived his life in a shell. He never dated, and never really hung out with friends. The only way I knew him was from one week a year when they allowed him out of the house to go to CF Camp. Life is not always the easiest thing, but it is so worth it in the end. My dad use to always quote "Live each day as if it were your last day on earth, and some day you will be right." Nobody knows how long they will be around or how long your children will be here. Just enjoy it while you can.
~Ann 25 w/cf
~Ann 25 w/cf
NoDayButToday
New member
Did the 16 month old have CF? Correct me if I'm wrong here anyone, but as far as I know, pseudomonas doesn't present a health threat to the general population. It only causes health problems in people with CF and burn victims. So, unless your child has CF or has severe burns, there's nothing really necessary to do to protect against pseudomonas (and for CFers- there's only SO much you can do to protect against it), since pseudomonas is everywhere, and is harmless to the general population. Maybe you have the name or spelling wrong?
Either way, I hope your friends are doing okay in their hard time.
Either way, I hope your friends are doing okay in their hard time.