What Household Products Should you Avoid for Asthma?

Steering clear of asthma triggers can often prove quite challenging. These triggers vary from person to person, and specific triggers remain beyond one’s control. This article discusses some of the significant household conditions asthma patients should avoid.

Fremont, CA: If your child has asthma, you are likely aware that various factors, including secondhand smoke and pollen from plants and trees, can provoke an asthma attack.

When your child encounters a trigger, their airways become inflamed, which limits airflow to the lungs. This inflammation leads to asthma symptoms, including tightness in the chest, wheezing, coughing, and challenges in breathing. Assisting your child in steering clear of these triggers can significantly aid in managing their asthma effectively.

However, steering clear of asthma triggers can often prove to be quite challenging. These triggers vary from person to person, and certain factors, such as pollution or pollen levels, remain beyond one’s control.

One of the most significant environments in which you can manage these triggers is within your home. Below are several strategies to maintain a trigger-free home, ensuring your child can breathe comfortably.

Keep Your House Fume-Free:

Various types of smoke and fumes may also provoke an asthma attack. This encompasses emissions from gas, wood, or kerosene stoves, as well as exhaust from automobiles and buses.

All appliances that burn fuel—such as stoves, fireplaces, gas or kerosene space heaters, and oil and gas furnaces—can generate nitrogen dioxide. Although this gas is neither visible nor detectable by smell, it can irritate the nose, eyes, and throat, potentially triggering asthma symptoms.

To ensure that the air in your home remains free from harmful fumes:

  •    Proper venting to the exterior is essential for all stoves. An exhaust fan that directs air outside during cooking is advisable for gas stoves.

  •    In the case of wood stoves, adhere strictly to the manufacturer's instructions and ensure that the doors are sealed tightly.

  •    When utilizing an unvented kerosene or gas space heater, it is essential to open a window or activate an exhaust fan slightly.

Beware of Household Chemicals:

Daily household items, including cleaning agents, paints, pesticides, fragrances, and soaps, may pose challenges for asthma children. Products emitting strong odors release chemicals into the atmosphere, triggering an asthma attack in susceptible children.

If solid odors exacerbate your child's asthma, consider the following recommendations:

    •  Ensure that cleaning supplies are stored outside your child's reach and in areas where they cannot inhale the vapors.

    •  When selecting soaps, shampoos, and detergents, opt for unscented or fragrance-free varieties. These products may still have some fragrance components, necessitating caution.

    •  Prevent your child from being exposed to fumes from potent cleaning agents. Additionally, consider exploring nontoxic or all-natural alternatives available in stores or utilize hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar as safer options.

Asthma Triggers: Pets, Cockroaches, and Mold:

Numerous children diagnosed with asthma also exhibit allergies to animals, insects, and mold, which are prevalent triggers for asthma attacks. If your child suffers from these allergies, you can minimize their exposure to these triggers by implementing the following recommendations:

      •  Prevent pets from accessing furniture, beds, and carpets, as their fur or dander can accumulate in these areas. Additionally, refrain from allowing pets to sleep in your child's bedroom.

      •  Ensure your child thoroughly washes their hands and face after interacting with pets.

      •  Launder sheets and other bedding in hot water at least once a week to reduce the presence of dust mites. Furthermore, consider using specialized dust-proof covers for pillows and mattresses.