The issue of chlorine in swimming pools for baby swimmers

In this advisory report, the Superior Health Council (SHC) reflects on chlorine and alternative methods for swimming pool disinfection and infection control and, in doing so, focuses on the particular target group of young infants (0-12 month-old baby swimmers). 

The SHC concludes that, at present, there is no evidence that alternatives to chlorine will provide an appropriate solution for the disinfection of swimming pools, and thus for protecting the population against the risk of infection attendant to bathing in poorly disinfected pools. Baby swimming is not encouraged in environments such as those that currently prevail in Belgian swimming pools, in particular for babies with atopic parents or relatives who have asthma.