Dr Olson Huff and his team of experts provide you with up to date information about your child’s health. In our health section you can find tips on common childhood ailments such as diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Find out how to prepare your child for visits to the doctor or dentist and hints on how to care for your sick child or baby.
Asthma - Learn your child's triggers
Triggers are the things that can start your child’s asthma attack or make it worse.
Your child may have just one trigger or you may find that several things act as triggers.
• For some kids, being around pets or dust can trigger asthma.
• Some kids find their asthma gets worse from cigarette smoke.
• For other kids, running and playing may bring on an asthma attack.
Be sure to work with the doctor to identify your child’s asthma triggers.
Once you know what triggers your child’s asthma, it is important to take steps to control these triggers.
Remembering to smoke outside or keeping pests out of your home means taking action every day. The more these habits are part of your daily life; the less chance there is your child will have an asthma attack.
Use the information below as a guide to find what may trigger your child’s asthma and what you can do about it.
Secondhand smoke is the smoke from a cigarette,cigar, or pipe, and the smoke exhaled by a smoker.
What You Can Do:
• Don’t let anyone smoke near your child.
• If you smoke—until you can quit, don’t smoke in your home or car.
Dust mites are tiny bugs that are too small to see.
Where They Live:
Dust mites live in things like sheets, blankets, pillows, mattresses, soft furniture, carpets, and your child’s stuffed toys.
What You Can Do:
• Wash bedding in hot water once a week. Dry completely.
• Use dust proof covers on pillows and mattresses.
• Vacuum carpets and furniture every week.
• Choose stuffed toys that you can wash. Wash stuffed toys in hot water. Dry completely before your child plays with the toy.
Animals in your home, such as cats and dogs.
What You Can Do:
• Find another home for your cat or dog.
• Keep pets outside if possible.
• If you have to have a pet inside, keep it out of your child’s bedroom.
• Keep pets off of your furniture.
• Vacuum carpets and furniture when your child is not around. Depending on your pet, you may need to vacuum everyday.
Areas with food and water such as your kitchen and bathroom. Areas where you store paper bags, cardboard boxes, or newspapers such as your basement.
What You Can Do:
• Keep counters, sinks, tables, and floors clean and free of clutter. Clean dishes, crumbs, and spills right away.
• Store food in airtight containers.
• Seal cracks or openings around or inside cabinets.
• Use roach baits or traps instead of sprays.
• Cover trash cans.
Mold grows in damp places such as kitchens, bathrooms, and basements.
What You Can Do:
• If you see mold on hard surfaces, clean it up with soap and water. Let the area dry completely.
• Use exhaust fans or open a window in the bathroom and kitchen when showering, cooking, or washing dishes.
• Fix water leaks as soon as possible to keep mold from growing.
• Dry damp or wet things completely within one to two days to keep mold from growing.
Nitrogen dioxide is a gas that can bother your eyes, nose, and throat. It may also cause shortness of breath.
Where To Look:
This gas can come from appliances inside your home that burn fuels such as gas, kerosene, and wood. Appliances that burn fuels are sometimes called fuel-burning appliances.
Nitrogen Dioxide—What You Can Do:
If possible, use fuel-burning appliances that are vented to the outside. Always follow the maker’s instructions on how to use these appliances.
• Gas cooking stoves: If you have an exhaust fan in the kitchen, use it when you cook. Never use the stove to keep you warm or heat your house.
• Unvented kerosene or gas space heaters: Use the proper fuel and keep the heater adjusted the right way. Open a window slightly or use an exhaust fan when you are using the heater.
• Wood stoves: Make sure the stove doors are tight fitting. Follow the maker’s instructions for starting, burning, and putting out the fire.
• Fireplaces: Always open the chimney flue before you build a fire.
Small particles and ozone come from things like exhaust from cars and factories, smoke, and road dust.
Where To Look:
Watch for the Air Quality Index, or AQI, during your local weather report. The AQI is a tool that offers you clear information every day on whether air quality in your area could be a health worry.
The AQI uses colors to show how much pollution is in the air. Green and yellow mean air pollution levels are low. Orange, red or purple mean pollution is at levels that may make asthma worse.
Watch for the AQI during your local weather report.
Outdoor Air Pollution—What You Can Do:
When the AQI reports unhealthy levels (orange, red or purple):
• Have your child play outdoors at times when the air quality is better. In the summer, this may be in the morning.
• Limit outdoor games that involve running hard for a long time.
• Pay attention to your child’s asthma warning signs. If you start to see signs, limit outdoor activity. Be sure to talk about this with your child’s doctor.
If you find that your child’s asthma gets worse when you use a certain product, consider trying different products.
If you must use a product, then you should:
• Make sure your child is not around.
• Open windows or doors, or use an exhaust fan.
Remember to always follow the instructions on the label.
Source: US- EPA
Your child may have just one trigger or you may find that several things act as triggers.
• For some kids, being around pets or dust can trigger asthma.
• Some kids find their asthma gets worse from cigarette smoke.
• For other kids, running and playing may bring on an asthma attack.
Be sure to work with the doctor to identify your child’s asthma triggers.
Once you know what triggers your child’s asthma, it is important to take steps to control these triggers.
Remembering to smoke outside or keeping pests out of your home means taking action every day. The more these habits are part of your daily life; the less chance there is your child will have an asthma attack.
Get rid of your child’s asthma triggers
When you remove triggers from your home or keep your child away from triggers outdoors, you help your child stay healthy and have fewer asthma attacks.Use the information below as a guide to find what may trigger your child’s asthma and what you can do about it.
Secondhand smoke
What It Is:Secondhand smoke is the smoke from a cigarette,cigar, or pipe, and the smoke exhaled by a smoker.
What You Can Do:
• Don’t let anyone smoke near your child.
• If you smoke—until you can quit, don’t smoke in your home or car.
Dust Mites
What They Are:Dust mites are tiny bugs that are too small to see.
Where They Live:
Dust mites live in things like sheets, blankets, pillows, mattresses, soft furniture, carpets, and your child’s stuffed toys.
What You Can Do:
• Wash bedding in hot water once a week. Dry completely.
• Use dust proof covers on pillows and mattresses.
• Vacuum carpets and furniture every week.
• Choose stuffed toys that you can wash. Wash stuffed toys in hot water. Dry completely before your child plays with the toy.
Pets
What Type:Animals in your home, such as cats and dogs.
What You Can Do:
• Find another home for your cat or dog.
• Keep pets outside if possible.
• If you have to have a pet inside, keep it out of your child’s bedroom.
• Keep pets off of your furniture.
• Vacuum carpets and furniture when your child is not around. Depending on your pet, you may need to vacuum everyday.
Cockroaches (“roaches” or other “pests”)
Where To Look:Areas with food and water such as your kitchen and bathroom. Areas where you store paper bags, cardboard boxes, or newspapers such as your basement.
What You Can Do:
• Keep counters, sinks, tables, and floors clean and free of clutter. Clean dishes, crumbs, and spills right away.
• Store food in airtight containers.
• Seal cracks or openings around or inside cabinets.
• Use roach baits or traps instead of sprays.
• Cover trash cans.
Mold
Where To Look:Mold grows in damp places such as kitchens, bathrooms, and basements.
What You Can Do:
• If you see mold on hard surfaces, clean it up with soap and water. Let the area dry completely.
• Use exhaust fans or open a window in the bathroom and kitchen when showering, cooking, or washing dishes.
• Fix water leaks as soon as possible to keep mold from growing.
• Dry damp or wet things completely within one to two days to keep mold from growing.
Nitrogen Dioxide
What It Is:Nitrogen dioxide is a gas that can bother your eyes, nose, and throat. It may also cause shortness of breath.
Where To Look:
This gas can come from appliances inside your home that burn fuels such as gas, kerosene, and wood. Appliances that burn fuels are sometimes called fuel-burning appliances.
Nitrogen Dioxide—What You Can Do:
If possible, use fuel-burning appliances that are vented to the outside. Always follow the maker’s instructions on how to use these appliances.
• Gas cooking stoves: If you have an exhaust fan in the kitchen, use it when you cook. Never use the stove to keep you warm or heat your house.
• Unvented kerosene or gas space heaters: Use the proper fuel and keep the heater adjusted the right way. Open a window slightly or use an exhaust fan when you are using the heater.
• Wood stoves: Make sure the stove doors are tight fitting. Follow the maker’s instructions for starting, burning, and putting out the fire.
• Fireplaces: Always open the chimney flue before you build a fire.
Outdoor Air Pollution
What It Is:Small particles and ozone come from things like exhaust from cars and factories, smoke, and road dust.
Where To Look:
Watch for the Air Quality Index, or AQI, during your local weather report. The AQI is a tool that offers you clear information every day on whether air quality in your area could be a health worry.
The AQI uses colors to show how much pollution is in the air. Green and yellow mean air pollution levels are low. Orange, red or purple mean pollution is at levels that may make asthma worse.
Watch for the AQI during your local weather report.
Outdoor Air Pollution—What You Can Do:
When the AQI reports unhealthy levels (orange, red or purple):
• Have your child play outdoors at times when the air quality is better. In the summer, this may be in the morning.
• Limit outdoor games that involve running hard for a long time.
• Pay attention to your child’s asthma warning signs. If you start to see signs, limit outdoor activity. Be sure to talk about this with your child’s doctor.
A Note About Chemical Irritants
Chemical irritants found in some products in your house may make your child’s asthma worse. Your child’s asthma may be worse around scented or unscented products, including cleaners, paints, adhesives, pesticides, cosmetics, or air fresheners.If you find that your child’s asthma gets worse when you use a certain product, consider trying different products.
If you must use a product, then you should:
• Make sure your child is not around.
• Open windows or doors, or use an exhaust fan.
Remember to always follow the instructions on the label.
Source: US- EPA
Previously: Be aware of your child's warning signs
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