Mommy Goes Green

Did you realize that asthma is one of the most common serious chronic diseases of childhood?  It is the third-ranking cause of hospitalization among children under 15 and an average of one out of every 10 school-aged child has asthma.  That’s A LOT of kids!

May may be National Asthma Awareness Month but I’m generally asthma aware year round because my husband has it.  Luckily, he requires an inhaler only rarely and it has improved with age but I’m always concerned that my children will develop it.  There are some genetic factors that predispose children to asthma but there are also environmental factors that may contribute to the development of the disease.  Along those lines, here are some ways you might help to prevent your child from developing the disease or triggering an attack in a child with asthma.

Wash your bed linens in hot water at least once a week and  purchase allergen-prevention pillow cases and mattress covers.  One study indicates bacteria in household dust releases chemicals called endotoxins, which can inflame airways and trigger asthma. Researchers found the bedroom had fewer endotoxins, but it had a greater impact on a child’s health. After all, that’s where kids spend almost half their day.  Endotoxin levels can be reduced in the same way that allergy symptoms can be reduced: by removing dust, keeping the floors as clean as possible, keeping moisture low, repairing water damage, cleaning bed linens, and using a high-efficiency vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter, among other actions.

Don’t smoke. According to the EPA, exposure to secondhand smoke can cause asthma in pre-school aged children.

Keep your pets outside.  Household pets can trigger asthma with skin flakes, urine, and saliva.

Clean more frequently. Reduce everyday dust build-up, by regularly dusting with a damp cloth and vacuuming carpet and fabric-covered furniture.

Replace your pesticide sprays with baits or traps.  If sprays are necessary, always circulate fresh air into the room being treated and keep asthma sufferers out of that room for several hours after any spraying.

Keep your baby out of the pool before they turn 6 months old.  Science Daily reported that children with mothers who have allergies or asthma have an increased risk of wheezing in the chest if they take part in baby swimming before 6 months of age.

If you do have a family member with asthma, try some of these tips for a period of time to see if they improve their health.  My husband partially attributes his improvement over the last 10 years to not living in an older home ( where basements can be damp ) and having no household pets.   We’ve also given up all pesticide use, use green cleaning products and have limited fragrances in the house. 

What has worked for your family?