What You Need To Know About Airborne Allergies

Airborne allergies are those that result when microscopic material, specifically plant and animal protein, enters the body. Those substances that most commonly aggravate a hypersensitive immune system are pollens from trees, grasses and weeds; molds; body parts and feces from cockroaches or dust mites; and dander, dried saliva and urine from animals.

Pollen From Trees, Grasses And Weeds

Seasonal allergic rhinitis, commonly called hay fever, is a general term used to describe the allergic reaction set off by pollens from trees, grasses and weeds. This is different from perennial (all year) allergies that are usually triggered by molds, animal dander and dust mites.

Hay fever is the sixth most common chronic disease, causing more than 10,000 absences on a typical school day. Children allergic to airborne allergens may have a congested or runny nose, postnasal drip, coughing, and itchy eyes. Children who suffer from chronic hay fever are often recognizable by their "allergic shiners" — dark rings under their eyes — and by the fact that they often breathe through their mouths instead of their noses. In more severe cases, hay fever may also interfere with a child's breathing, causing her to wheeze.

The best way to avoid or minimize hay fever reactions is to limit exposure to allergens. The following can help:

• Keep windows closed to prevent pollens from entering.
• Keep your child indoors when the pollen count is high, especially on warm, sunny days and in the late morning and early evening
• Use air conditioners in those rooms in which your child spends most time to reduce his exposure to pollen.
• Wash curtains, rugs and sheets frequently, using detergents that have no dyes, perfumes and other potentially irritating additives.

Molds

It is estimated that as many as 10 percent of the U.S. population is allergic to molds. Among those with other respiratory allergies, as many as 80 percent are mold sensitive. Molds, microscopic organisms, thrive in many parts of the house: in plants, in damp areas such as the bathroom, closets and basement, and in air conditioning and dehumidifier filters. It is not surprising, then, that mold allergies are more prevalent in humid climates.

The best way to control your child's allergies if she is sensitive to molds is to keep your house as clean and dry as possible.

The best way to avoid mold allergy is to limit exposure to mold allergens. The following may help:

• Eliminate indoor plants to minimize mold growth in damp soil.
• Use dehumidifiers and air conditioners in the house.
• Maintain heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Keep them clean and change the filters frequently.
• Keep your yard raked, and do not leave piles of damp leaves or mulch.
• Leave a low-wattage light bulb turned on in your child's closet to prevent mildew.
• Since fish tanks and bowls can generate moisture, do not put them in your child's bedroom.

Dust Mites

House dust is a major cause of year-round allergy symptoms. It is not the dust itself that causes allergies, but the microscopic spider-like insects found in the dust. Thousands of mites are contained in a trace of house dust, and they leave behind excrement and body parts, all of which can trigger allergic reactions. Specifically, dust mites live on human skin dandruff that accumulates in carpets, textured drapes, upholstered furniture, bookshelves, closets, toys and stuffed animals.

Each female dust mite can produce 20 to 30 babies, and each mite produces 200 times its weight in fecal matter in its life span. In general, dust mites thrive and reproduce faster in summer weather and humidity. But dust mite allergies are more common and more acute during the winter heating season because the body parts disintegrate into house dust. In addition, children spend more time inside where the windows are closed and the air recirculated.

The most effective way of controlling dust mite allergies is by controlling dust mites. This is best achieved through exacting attention to house cleaning. That means washing sheets, curtains and other fabrics in your child's room often in hot water with detergents that do not have irritating ingredients. Some parents find that covering the child's mattress and pillow in a waterproof encasement — the type of covering sold in stores, never loose plastic bags that come from the cleaners — also controls mite reactions.

If cleaning does not relieve your child's allergies, consider removing rugs, drapes and upholstered furniture from your child's bedroom. Research has found that the use of acaricides (dust mite poison) is no more effective than careful cleaning. A recent Australian study, however, claimed that washing bedding in hot water and detergent mixed with a .2 percent solution of eucalyptus oil (available in health food stores) was effective in killing mites.

The best way to minimize dust mite allergy is to limit exposure to dust mite allergens in the bedroom. The following can help:

• Remove feather pillows and wool blankets and substitute bedding made of hypoallergenic synthetic materials.
• Encase bedding in waterproof zippered encasements to entomb the dust mites. This is one of the most effective ways to reduce mites. Remember children spend about half their time in bed.
• Wash the sheets weekly in hot water.
• Leave a spread on the bed during the day to accumulate dust. Before your child climbs into bed, remove the spread and replace it in the morning. Shake out bedding daily when your child is not around.
• Minimize dust. Use washable rugs and curtains and washable stuffed animals, and keep them clean. Washable blinds and an uncluttered decor are more easily kept dust-free. Damp mop the floor and dust furniture frequently. Damp mopping controls dust on uncarpeted floors better than vacuuming.
• Keep the closet door closed, and hang only those clothes that are in regular use.

Cockroaches

Allergies and asthma in inner city children seem to be on the rise. It is suspected that cockroaches — perhaps their feces or their saliva — are becoming an increasing problem for children with sensitivities. Between 40 percent and 60 percent of children with asthma and 20 percent and 53 percent of children with allergies have reactions to cockroaches.

Cockroaches are most commonly found in kitchens, bathrooms and basements. The best way to control these allergens is by using a professional exterminator to treat the house or apartment. If you live in an apartment, the neighboring apartments must also be treated at the same time. Keep your kitchen clean with no waste food accessible. Avoid leaving food out or bringing food into other parts of the house. This will reduce the likelihood of infestation.

The best way to avoid or minimize cockroach allergies is to limit exposure to allergens. The following can help:

• Store all food in sealed containers.
• Wash dirty dishes and silverware immediately.
• Do not leave crumbs on the counter or floors.
• Do not leave out pet food.
• Keep your garbage can well sealed.
• Treat your kitchen with a pesticide or sprinkle boric acid powder in areas where you have seen the bugs.
• Do not stack empty grocery bags or newspapers for recycling. Cockroaches live and lay eggs in the piles of paper and cardboard boxes.
• Seal any holes around pipes, windows, doors and baseboards to prevent cockroaches from entering your house.

Pet Dander

Many children are allergic to animals, but the allergy is actually to pet dander, the minuscule skin cells that the pet sheds, not to the fur itself. You may be able to limit your child's allergic reactions by limiting the area in which the pet lives to the kitchen or the yard. However, for many families, having an allergic child means not having a furry pet. For some children the only safe pet is a fish or snake. If you already have a pet and must find a new home for her, include your child in the decision. However, finding a new home for your pet will not alleviate the allergy immediately. Cat dander in particular clings to all kinds of surfaces, which means that it will take time to rid the house of the allergens.

The best way to avoid or minimize pet dander allergies is to limit exposure to allergens. The following can help:

• Keep furry pets outside or find them a new home.
• If you keep the pet, keep it out of your child's bedroom at all times.
• Washing your pet can reduce dander for about a week, although this has not been conclusively shown to reduce allergic symptoms.
• Wash clothes frequently; pet dander can cling, especially to wool.