swimming classes!

[Vincent1]

Hi,
I have a seven year old daughter with eczema who has just started school swimming classes as part of the national curriculum. She can already swim and we go often together, and She has private lessons. We already know that chlorine makes her eczema worse, but over the last couple of weeks her eczema has gone haywire. We have never seen it like this - usually it is just in the folds of the elbows and knees. It is all over the top half of her body, and 'spotty'. After swimming, we make sure She is properly rinsed off and dried. With that and emollient, there isn't usually a problem. The penny has just dropped after talking to her tonight that in her swimming lessons, they are so time-constrained that She is lucky to even get under the shower at all! The staff are shouting 'hurry up, hurry up'. She has to go with the school, unless She can provide a medical exemption, but the point is that She wants to participate. She just needs time to shower properly with an after-swim shower gel and dry properly. We thought it would have been obvious that She can't spend the rest of the day covered in chlorine - guess not.. So, any advice? My first thoughts are a letter from her Dr., to say that She needs to do this to keep her eczema at bay, which can vanish completely if looked after, for long periods. But I doubt the School will be very happy about waiting the 10-15 minutes this may take.

[Marcie Mom]

Oh dear.. sorry to hear that and yes, agree that if chlorine will trigger rash, it's important to rinse off and moisturize. Perhaps a letter from doctor will be good, or perhaps volunteering during swimming lessons and build rapport with the teachers (to help your daughter)? Or try putting an emollient before swim in order to increase the protective layer against chlorine? Swimming has its benefits, my daughter with eczema (also 7yo) enjoys swimming too.
Hope it'd all work out, take care