Tips for reducing Asthma triggers in your home

Lots of things can trigger asthma symptoms or an asthma attack. Allergy related asthma to pet dander, dust-mites, cigarette smoke and air pollutants in children are most likely to happen in your home where the child spends most of his time. The best way to avoid these is to remove all the possible triggers that may occur at home.

What triggers your child’s asthma may vary but these are the most common ways in helping reduce symptoms at home:

• Ireland’s damp and cold climate has been attributed to asthma. One way of counteracting this is to have a humidifier to keep the air dry. Talk to your GP about using this device. Because of our damp environment, mould and mildew, common in Irish households, are also known to trigger asthma. Removing and treating your home against mould/fungus may help in the control of asthma triggers.

• Reduce pet dander. Pet hair/mites can trigger an allergy that can bring on asthma symptoms. If your child has a pet allergy keep pets away from child’s bedroom and main play areas. Vacuum, dust and clean regularly to avoid build-up of hair. Regularly brush and wash the pet and wash hands after playing with pet.

• Do not smoke around children. You put your children at risk by smoking around them. For help to quit see quit.ie

• Carpets, curtains, sofas, duvets, mattress and linen all have the potential to ignite asthma triggered by dust-mites that lay within them. By cleaning and dusting your house regularly (vacuum regularly or remove carpets, replacing duvets pillows and mattress periodically and washing linen at high temperatures ) you can help reduce dust-mites.