The same allergy triggers can cause asthma attacks in people affected by the disease. These triggers can be anything that you are exposed to or engage in and can lead to airway inflammation. It’s important to note, though, that not all triggers are the same for each and every person with asthma.
Below are 6 of the most common asthma and allergy triggers that you’d best avoid if you or your child has asthma:
- Dust mites
Dust mites are tiny microscopic critters than can live under your bed, sofa and even carpets or curtains. Their waste and even body can cause an allergic reaction and trigger asthma symptoms and flare-ups.
The best way to get rid of them is to wash your beddings and linen regularly, encase them in dust-proof or allergen impermeable covers as well as using a damp mop or rag to remove dust on all your furniture.
- Mold
Mold can grow in damp and dark areas of your house. They can release spores which can settle on the linings of the nose and cause hay fever-like symptoms. When inhaled, these spores can trigger an asthma attack on adults and even more so on children.
Prevent the growth of mold by keeping your indoor humidity levels below 50%. This means ensuring every room (especially the bathroom and kitchen) has proper ventilation and installing high-quality air filters to block mold spores.
- Pets
Nowadays, physicians don’t necessarily advise against keeping a pet if anyone in the household has asthma as long as proper pet care and management is done.
What pet owners need to look out for are the dander and hair shed by pets. These can cause an allergic reaction, aggravate asthma symptoms, and trigger an asthma attack. By keeping pet dander to a bare minimum, it’s possible for people with asthma to enjoy the companionship of their furry friends.
- Pollen
Pollen is so tiny that it can easily be circulated indoors and be inhaled by you and your family. Once inhaled, it can easily cause symptoms or aggravate asthma symptoms like sneezing, nasal congestion and wheezing.
Avoid having pollen indoors by using a good quality air filter that can remove dust, pollen, and other particles in the air. When playing outside (particularly during spring), you can also have your child wear a dust mask to avoid inhaling pollen.
- Smoke
The smoke from cigarettes causes the linings of your airways to become narrow, swollen, and filled with mucus – much like asthma symptoms. So if you or any close family members smoke, make sure to do it well away from children with asthma. Better yet, stop the habit altogether.
- Chemicals
Chemicals like hydrochloric acid, sulfur dioxide or ammonia can irritate the airways and linings of the lungs, thereby causing asthma symptoms or triggering an asthma attack. These are often found in personal care products and household cleaning supplies, so be more selective when shopping for these products.
Having a child with asthma necessitates a lifestyle change. The good news is that while asthma isn’t curable, it definitely can be manageable. For a more detailed guide on childhood asthma, you can check out this useful infographic from FilterBuy.
Contributed
Girl on Fire
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