Environmental Control for Indoor Allergens

House dust contains a variety of allergens such as insect parts, animal dander, and dust mites. Furthermore, mold may also be present in homes. It is important to eliminate as much allergen as possible from the home in order to derive maximum benefit from your treatment.

House Dust Mite is probably the most important allergen in most homes. Controlling house dust mite exposure will decrease symptoms in allergic patients and may decrease the risk of developing dust mite allergy in patients not yet sensitized. Dust mites are tiny microscopic creatures that thrive in warm, moist climates. Upholstery (particularly the bed) is the ideal habitat for dust mites because they need the protection of the padding and a food supply (shed human skin) to survive. They cannot thrive on non-porous surfaces or in cool dry climates.

There are simple things you can do to minimize dust mite exposure:

You should concentrate on the bedroom (particularly the bed) because this is where you spend most of your time. In fact, when you are sleeping, you are breathing with your mouth and nose inches from a whole army of dust mites. The bedroom should be clutter free.

Dusting should be done frequently with a damp cloth.

The humidity in the bedroom should be kept below 50%. In Central Oklahoma this generally requires only air condition, but may require a de-humidifier. Humidifiers encourage dust mite and mold growth and should be avoided.

The mattress, box spring and pillow should be encased in dust mite proof encasements. All items on the bed should be washed in hot water (140 degrees) every one to two weeks. Stuffed animals should be removed from the bed.

Upholstered furniture and wall to wall carpet contain dust mites and should be avoided if possible, but these are not nearly as important as the bed.

Air filters, expensive vacuum cleaners, and duct cleaning help only minimally. When vacuuming, a HEPA filter or double bag should be used to minimize dust mites being stirred up and released into the air.

Cockroaches are now recognized as important indoor allergens. Other insects such as lady bugs, spiders, and crickets have recently been implicated. Keep the home clean and dry and fix any leaks or drips. It may be necessary to have an exterminator treat the home periodically.

Animal dander, generally from cats and dogs (but sometimes from gerbils, hamster, guinea pigs, mice, etc.) is a very important source of allergen in dust. Contrary to popular belief, animal hair is not the problem. Rather, it is a protein in the urine, saliva and dander of animal that provokes allergy. There are no “nonallergenic” furred pets. Some individual animals produce more allergen than others but there are no “safe” breeds.

The best thing you can do if you are allergic is to eliminate the pet.

Keeping the animal outside is only a partial solution because people who handle the animals outside will bring the allergen in on their clothes.

If you cannot eliminate the pet, try to keep the pet in non-upholstered areas and never let the pet in the bedroom. A HEPA filter in the bedroom may provide some protection.

Bathing the animals weekly may decrease the amount of allergen they produce.

After the animal has been removed, it can take as long as a year for allergen levels in the home to drop significantly, so a good thorough cleaning of the home is necessary after eliminating the animal.

Recently some information has come to light which suggests that if you are not already allergic it may actually be helpful to have cats or dogs in the home. However, if you are already pet allergic having the pets around will only worsen your allergic symptoms.

Indoor Mold can also cause significant allergic respiratory symptoms. Homes with high humidity and/or leaks have a high likelihood of having significant indoor molds. Once these issues have been fixed, it is generally easy to eliminate molds, but if you continue to have problems with water leaks or high humidity, you will have a hard time cleaning up your mold. Use a cleaning solution containing 5% bleach and a small amount of detergent to clean up moldy areas. Performing house dust control measures will help as well.

Making Halloween Fun for Everyone

When a child has a food allergy, holidays can be especially tough for both the child and the child’s family, says Oklahoma Asthma & Allergy Clinic’s Board-Certified Allergist Dr. Maya Gharfeh.

“Holidays are such an important and fun part of childhood,” said Gharfeh. “One of the most important things of raising a child with a food allergy is to not let him or her feel different or isolated because of the food allergy. Instead, we adapt and still let the holiday be as fun as possible.”

The Teal Pumpkin project is an initiative created by the Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) network to promote a safe Halloween for all including those with a food allergy. It encourages families to place a teal pumpkin on their doorstep to let families know they have non-food treats available for kids with food allergies. Those who wish to participate can register their home address on the FARE website so families can pre-plan their trick or treating.

Any food allergy is potentially life threatening. An accidental exposure through ingestion of a food allergen may quickly lead to a life-threatening situation where a child would need emergency medication – like epinephrine – for survival.

As the mother of a child with a food allergy, Gharfeh has first-hand knowledge. She suggested ideas they’ve done to make a happier Halloween for their daughter.

“We have a rule of no eating or snacking on candy while trick or treating. We go house to house and collect treats as normal. Once we get home, we dump them out and I sort the candies into safe and non-safe, specific for my daughter,” Gharfeh said.

She always keeps safe treats at home for a swap out for those unsafe ones.

“No one wants a half-full Halloween basket,” she said.

Non-food items for those swap outs could include stickers, glow in the dark bracelets and necklaces, Halloween pencils, spider rings, etc.

“Since my daughter has a nut allergy, we try to stay away from most of the chocolate candies and stick with sugar candies such as Skittles or Jolly Ranchers,” Gharfeh added. “We always carry our emergency epinephrine device with us while trick or treating to be ready for an emergency.”

Other ideas for making Halloween safer, Gharfeh says, includes hosting your own Halloween party with allergy safe food treats and non-food items as treats. She encourages families to educate their neighbors and friends about the Teal Pumpkin project. Volunteer for school positions to allow more involvement in choosing snacks/treats for holidays such as Halloween.

“Kids love painting pumpkins,” Gharfeh said. “By inviting your neighbors to participate, you have provided an opportunity to ensure some safe stops for your food allergic littles in your neighborhood.”

FARE recommends has these ideas to celebrate the teal pumpkin project:

Decorate your front door. Grab some teal plastic pumpkins (available at local retailers), festive decorations and transform your door. Get your whole neighborhood involved.
Host a virtual Halloween party. Staying inside this year? Plan a virtual party so kids can dress up and show off their costumes. Make the party even more interactive by playing fun games online like bingo or trivia.
Set up a craft and activity station and let the kids loose! From coloring sheets to word matches, FARE has printable resources for getting kids excited about Halloween.
Halloween Scavenger Hunt – get your kids outside and moving. Take a walk or drive around to try and spot sooky sights. Bonus points for spotting teal pumpkins.
Stay in for a scary movie night. Invite your friends and neighbors over to watch your favorite Halloween movie.
For food allergy friendly recipes, check out the FARE website www.foodallergy.org

If families suspect their child might have a food allergy, Gharfeh says, “Come see a board-certified allergist. We want to help not only diagnose but also to help you, your child, and your family know what a food allergy means and the steps to ensure a safe, healthy and fun childhood, even with a diagnosis of a food allergy.” Teal Pumpkin Campaign

The post Making Halloween Fun for Everyone appeared first on Oklahoma Allergy and Asthma Clinic.

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Environmental Control for Indoor Allergens

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