Hot Tub Rash

[ed3120]

My 2.5 year old son likes to go in the hot tub with us. (We lower it to 90 degrees before we put him in it...we know not to put him in while it's hot.)

He's gone in twice this season, and both times he has had red spots on him that developed a few hours afterwards. They disappear within 24 hours. Similar to this:

http://dermnetnz.org...lliculitis.html

I read somewhere, it may be due to the tub being under sanitized, but after the first time, I checked the tub with a test strip and it said my bromine level was 5 ppm (that was the max on the strip, so it could have been higher) and my water was a little acidic. I lowered the bromine and added some ph boost.

After yesterday's incident, I checked the water with a strip again and the bromine level was at 3 ppm and the ph was in check.

Do you have any advice? Is it more likely that I have too much or too little bromine? My wife and I did not experience any red spots, but I assume a toddler has more sensitive skin.

[Dr. Spa]

You're looking for medical advise for your child on an anonymous internet message board?

Basic rule of thumb is, if the rash develops before 24 hours it's a chemical sensitivity/allergy, after 24 hours is bacterial.

[tony357]

You're looking for medical advise for your child on an anonymous internet message board?

Basic rule of thumb is, if the rash develops before 24 hours it's a chemical sensitivity/allergy, after 24 hours is bacterial.

Agreed..to the 1st part..

[waterbear]

I assume you shock with MPS. It is a known irritant to many people. Also, hot water itself has been known to trigger a rash in many individual. I would consult a doctor.

[ed3120]

It's definitely from the spa water, because it comes after bathing and goes away within a day. It doesn't itch him. After the first time it happened, I wasn't sure it was from the tub. My numbers were a little out of whack (bromine was way too high, and pH/Alkalinity was a little low). After the second time, I assumed it was the tub. Then I rebalanced everything yesterday (bromine was still a little high, but not too high...about 3ppm) and he got the rash again.

I wasn't sure if it was an issue from too much or too little bromine. Some websites say that rashes from tubs mean that the tubs are undersanitized, but I wonder how that can be if my bromine level was high enough.

Maybe I should drain the tub and start with fresh water?

[Dr. Spa]

MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAVE YOUR CHILD LOOKED AT AND DIAGNOSED BY A DOCTOR

[walleye]

Dr. Spa, why is it you look to slam somebody like there is a pot of gold for doing so? Does it make you feel better? It kind of makes you look like a jerk. No doubt this is not a medical forum and they should consult a real doctor, but that kind of replies will not help membership which I would think is important. No need to be a a$#.

[Dr. Spa]

I'm infinitely more concerned with the health of an innocent 2-1/2 year old child than how I may appear. No one here is qualified to diagnose any real medical issues, and even if apparently so, how would anyone know if they're truly qualified? Again, the health of a child out weighs my concern of public perception.

[ed3120]

I'm infinitely more concerned with the health of an innocent 2-1/2 year old child than how I may appear. No one here is qualified to diagnose any real medical issues, and even if apparently so, how would anyone know if they're truly qualified? Again, the health of a child out weighs my concern of public perception.

I appreciate your concern. The rash was mild and has already gone away. If it was severe, itchy, or stayed around for more than 24 hours, I would have taken him to the doctor. I rubbed some Aveeno lotion on it and it went away.

The doctor would not have been able to tell me what was wrong with my Spa chemistry. I went to a local spa shop and they told me this could happen from bromine too high, pH too low, or pH too high, but not usually from the bromine being too low. (Obviously, you can't run a spa without sanitizer for an extended period of time.)

I attribute it to the high bromine level, as I let the bromine level go down to zero and he played in the tub yesterday and did not get a rash. Now I know that I need to focus on keeping the bromine level low.

[Spanky]

I may be stepping out of line here and putting my nose where it doesn't belong, but here's my nickle's worth.

Children should not be using a hot tub!

I have 2 granddaughters, 9 & 3, the 9yr old is allowed in the tub under a strict 10min limit. The 3yr old is not even a discussion.

Chemical sensitivity aside, there is a real danger of Hyperthermia. Adults can usually tollerate 20min of 100 Deg. water without significant increase in body core temperature, children are a different story. It's just simple physics. Even adults are at risk, that's why spas are required to have timers. When the timer shuts the jets down you must make a concious decision to either start another round or exit the tub. Unfortunately, as many Paramedics wiill testify, there are too many cases where alcohol clouded that decision with disasterous concequences.

[ed3120]

I may be stepping out of line here and putting my nose where it doesn't belong, but her's my nickle's worth.

Children should not be using a hot tub! I have 2 granddaughters, 9 & 3, the 9yr old is allowed in the tub under a strict 10min limit. The 3yr old is not even a discussion.

Chemical sensitivity aside, there is a real danger of Hyperthermia. Adults can usually tollerate 20min of 100 Deg. water without significant increase in body core temperature, children are a different story. It's just simple physics. Even adults are at risk, that's why spas are required to have timers. When the timer shuts the jets down you must make a concious decision to either start another round or exit the tub. Unfortunately, as many Paramedics wiill testify, there are too many cases where alcohol clouded that decision with disasterous concequences.

Agreed. I won't put my son in my hot tub unless it is 95 degrees or under. We keep it the temperature of a warm pool in the summer. I don't put him in it at all in the winter, which is when we keep the water around 100 degrees.