Mom Claims Brown’s Beach Infected Daughter with ‘Swimmer’s Itch’

Summer is here in the Capital Region and people are finding ways to keep cool.  As a result, various beaches in our area have been quite popular during the recent heatwave, a trend that  will continue heading into the holiday weekend.  One local mom is warning parents to be careful if you're heading to Brown's Beach on Saratoga Lake in Stillwater to cool off.

Erika Ries from Albany told News Channel 13 that her 5-year-old her daughter Maddie spent an afternoon in the waters of Brown's Beach last week and that's when things took a turn for the worse.

After about an hour, according to a Facebook post by Ries, her daughter complained about being itchy and uncomfortable.  It turns out Maddie developed a rash known as "swimmer's itch" which according to the CDC appears as a "skin rash caused by an allergic reaction to certain microscopic parasites that infect some birds and mammals."

The CDC says that swimmer's itch can develop immediately in contaminated waters and results in tingling, burning, or itching of the skin or small reddish pimples or blisters.

Erika told me through Facebook messenger that her daughter Maddie is finally close to 100% better but another child named  Sadie, "had a flare up so bad on Monday she required antihistamines and an antibiotic. Thankfully she’s recovering now with no new rashes."

Ries said on her Facebook page that Maddie was treated with calamine, Zyrtec and Benadryl  all per her pediatricians orders.

According to News Channel 13, the town supervisor has been alerted of the problem and that it "is a natural occurrence."