Everyday Wellness in Brecksville: The Other Hazards of Swimming

Yesterday, my son complained that his ear was sore. I diagnosed him with a case of irritability and told him it would go away soon. But by last night, he was crying and in serious pain. A midnight Internet search revealed that he was probably suffering from swimmer’s ear. But I stand by my original diagnosis because that kind of pain would make anyone irritable.

I’m always so concerned about someone drowning that sometimes I forget about the other hazards of swimming. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website gives some tips for water safety that include:

• To keep yourself and others safe from waterborne illnesses, wash thoroughly before entering a pool, keep swimming water out of your mouth and take children on frequent bathroom breaks.
• To keep from getting the painful condition known as swimmer’s ear, keep water out of your ears and dry your ears thoroughly after swimming.
• Protect your skin from the sun.
• Learn first aid.

The United States Department of Health and Human Services has some advice for swimming safety that includes the following tips:

• Never swim alone.
• Supervise children closely -- with no distractions, even if they know how to swim.
• Use floating toys for fun, not safety.

Last week, I spoke with Nick Butina, a lifeguard and swimming instructor at the . He’s been a swimmer since he was very young and a lifeguard in Brecksville for five years.

When I asked him what his most important swimming safety advice was, he said: “Everyone should learn how to swim, even if they just learn how to float and tread water, so that they will relax in the water.”

Butina said that relaxing in the water is the first thing he teaches any student when they are learning how to swim. He also said that it’s never too late to learn. He’s taught students from toddlers to middle-age, and he started teaching my sons when the younger one was just 3 years old.

There are several places around Brecksville to take swimming lessons and most offer classes for children and adults, including the Brecksville Community Center, the Broadview Heights Recreation Center, the Seven Hills Recreation Center, or a local YMCA.

Swimming is a great way to get exercise and a fun way to spend time with the family. I am going to be more vigilant about all aspects of swimming safety and make sure that I pay closer attention when supervising the kids while they swim. But I guess we'll have to let the swimmer's ear clear up for a few days before we pack up our towels and head back to the pool.