If your child suffers from asthma, you know how worrying it can be. The last thing you want your child to go through is an asthma flare up. A flare up is usually caused by pollen, dust, mold or dirt emissions in the air. For most people, these triggers are rarely a problem, but for kids with asthma, it’s something that’s a constant problem. Children should never have to deal with homes that make them unwell. So, what can you do to make sure your home doesn’t trigger an asthma attack?
Wood Floors
Swapping your carpet for wood floors will allow you to avoid as much dust in the home. Dust mites have a habit of burying deep into carpets, so no matter how often you vacuum, you may not be able to get rid of them. Having a wood floor, whether it’s laminate or solid wood, will allow you to vacuum up dust easily. It’s also the perfect flooring for cleaning up after messy children and spilled drinks.
Your Bedding, Pillows and Stuff Toys
Your bedding is a great breeding ground for dust mites. The bedroom is the most common place in the house to find dust mites, so it’s important to clean there regularly. To avoid dust mites in bedding, vacuum the mattress every two weeks and wash bedding in hot water and on a high heat dryer cycle every month. Change pillow cases and air dry or put pillows in the sun to freshen them up before putting in back in the bedroom. Kid’s stuff toys must also be washed regularly.
Insulation
Old insulation can attract dust like wild fire. Many people never see the benefit in replacing old insulation, but if you live with a child who has asthma, it could do wonders for their health. Old insulation removal doesn’t cost much and replacing it with new insulation every few years could avoid you dealing with excess dust within the home.
Avoid Clutter
It’s easy for clutter to build up when you live with a large family, but clutter often gathers dust and builds up until it becomes a problem. Try to avoid clutter in the main rooms, like the living room and bedrooms. You can avoid clutter by using storage boxes and asking family members to store their belongings away.
Get Rid of Mold
Mold is a proven trigger for asthma, so if you have mold in your home, it’s important to do what you can to get rid of it. You can get rid of mold by using a dehumidifier in the rooms with damp patches. Air diffusers or catalytic lamps life the Lampe Berger helps cleans the air too but check first sensitivity to fragrance. Make sure to take down any wallpaper that has gone moldy and get rid of any plants that may be growing mold. You can clean mold off the walls by using a bleach solution.
Animal Triggers
If your child has asthma, having a pet could be a trigger. The best solution is to keep the pet outside or in a room that isn’t often used by your child. Playing with a pet could be perfectly fine, but hugging and kissing the pet may start off an attack. Use your intuition and limit the amount of time your child can spend with your pet.
Keeping asthma triggers to a minimum isn’t easy, but it is the healthiest option for your child.