Swimmer's itch a pain for Edmonton family hitting the beach

The Johnson family spent some of the Canada Day long weekend splashingin the water at ZeinerBeach on Pigeon Lake.

"The kids went into the water and were in there for an hour, two hours," said ShyloJohnson. "They all come in and they're all itching. And I was like, 'No, oh no.' "

Things were no better even after the kids took showers.

Johnson's 13-year-olddaughter,Ashtyn,was hit the worst by swimmer's itch, arash caused by an allergic reaction to certain parasites of birds, mammals and snails.

"She is covered head to toe, like everything is covered," Johnson said. "And we sat in the hospital for an hour and a half and they said it's swimmer's itch.

"And I said, 'How the heck do I get rid of that?'And they said a lot of Reactine and a lot of calamine lotion."

There are now several signs up around Zeiner Beach, put up by Alberta Health Services. But Johnsonsaidher family didn't see any, and hadchecked the advisories before they picked the lake.

She thinks the provinceshould do a better job of warning the public.

Long Lake Provincial Park is currently the only area with a swimmer's itch warning.

But across the province there are several blue-green algae advisorieslisted on the Alberta Health Services website. Exposure to blue-green algae can causesimilar symptomsas those seen with swimmer's itch, including skin irritation, fever, nausea, and vomiting. Most symptoms develop within a few hours, and clear up in a few days.

Swimmer's itchrashes usually clear up within a week, according to AHS.

For her part,Ashtyn Johnson told her mothershe's staying away from lakes, no matter what the signs say.

She was hit by a boat last time she got into the water.

She's like, 'Oh, forget it, don't take me to a pool, I'm not getting into a lake ever again,' " her mother said. " 'I got run over by a boat, and then the first time I come back in here,I get this?' "