The following was originally published by
Hayden Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
Used with Permission
Stop Childhood Asthma
Asthma was always believed to be a hereditary disorder. Researchers
now believe that
Asthma can be avoided through careful
control
of the home environment.
If the development of allergies can be prevented in the first year of
life, an infant's immune system will be given time to mature. Eighty-five
percent of the three million Canadian children under the age of 18,
who have asthma, have an allergic component to their illness. Two
million of these children experience serious limitations, and combined,
they miss 10 million school days each year.
CASE STUDY:
ALLERGIES:
HEREDITARY OR ENVIRONMENTAL?
Most infants born to parents with a history of an allergic disorder
(including asthma) also go on to develop symptoms. If written in the
genes is this condition inevitable ? Maybe not.
Experts believe that sensitivity to allergens and the symptoms of
asthma in later childhood are directly related to allergen exposure in
infancy. For example, children exposed to second hand smoke while
in their mother's womb are more likely to develop asthma.
Researchers studied 120 prenatal infants, who were at high risk of
developing one or more allergic disorders. When the babies were born
researchers drew blood samples from the umbilical cords to check for
high levels of IgE, an indicator of the potential to develop allergies.
Those babies who had both risk factors were then randomly divided
into two groups. Parents of infants in the prevention group were
instructed to treat the infant's bedroom and other living areas of their
home to control house dust mites. They also treated these areas with
a powder and foam every three months. The living environments of
the other (control) group of infants were unrestricted.
Both groups of babies were monitored by a pediatrician at regular
intervals. At the end of their first year of life, the babies were
examined by a pediatric allergist who was completely unaware which
group each was assigned to.
The results? At the end of the first year, the control group had an
40% incidence of overall allergic disorders compared with 13% for the
prevention group.
Parents of infants who are at risk (that is, whose families have a
history of asthma or other allergic disorders) should consider trying
some preventative environmental measures.
"This is the first decent study that tried to see if asthma or eczema
could be prevented by using environmental controls," says Gary
Rachelefsky, M.D., director of the Allergy Research Foundation. "Viral
illness has always been considered the most important triggering
factor in episodes of infant asthma. But this study showed us
something different. Avoidance of the allergens also resulted in fewer
viral induced episodes of asthma. That's what makes this study very
interesting."
Even the most immaculate home is a haven for biological pollutants,
dust mites, insect parts, pet dander, fungi, molds and bacteria. These
powerful allergens can trigger symptoms that are often ascribed to
other health problems like colds, flu's and hayfever.
COMMON HOUSEHOLD ALLERGENS:
According to the National Publication of the Allergy/Asthma
Information Association, five indoor allergens are common in even the
most immaculate homes:
- HOUSE DUST MITES are very tiny and
live in pillows, mattresses, bedding, carpets and upholstered furniture.
It is chiefly their fecal material which is allergenic, causing wheezing
attacks in asthmatics.
- COCKROACHES' fecal material and
discarded skin has been discovered to be highly allergenic.
- ANIMALS such as cats, dogs and
rodents have highly allergenic saliva and urine.
- MOLD is quite common in homes, but
wet carpeting seems to be the biggest producer of mold.
- SMOKE from cigarettes or fires is
not an allergen, but is extremely irritating for an allergic individual.
Allergens are usually thought of as being suspended in the air. However, the amount of allergens in the air is tiny compared to the
amount in carpets and other fabrics in the home, such as bedding and
upholstery.
The Environmental Protection Agency informs us that
the worst air pollution in North America is found right inside our homes,
apartment complexes, office buildings, hotels and even day-care centers.
PREVENTION:
YOUR CHILD'S FIRST YEAR:
To prevent allergies, begin with these steps in your child's first year of
life:
- Wash all bedding in hot water. Allergen researchers have found
that all mites are killed when bedding is washed at 131 degrees
Fahrenheit or greater.
- Encase mattress and pillows in mite/allergen resistant dust covers.
- All baby furniture should have a wipeable surface that mite
allergens can not adhere to.
- Choose allergen resistant washable teddy bears and stuffed toys.
- Avoid carpet shampooing. Soap residue from shampooing can
produce an irritating dust, and the wetness can encourage mite
growth and mold.
- Remove or treat carpets and upholstery with a mite spray, foam or
powder.
- Choose vinyl covered baby bumpers as opposed to textured ones
to protect and line your child's crib.
"As it (the infant's immune system) matures, the system will do a
better job of defending the child's body against inhaled allergens, and
the likelihood of becoming sensitive later in life may go down."
says
Robert Dockhorn, M.D., clinical professor of medicine and pediatrics at
the University Missouri at Kansas City School of Medicine.
THE REST OF YOUR HOME:
To minimize allergens in other areas of the home:
- Install a central vacuum.
- To keep dust mites and molds from multiplying, keep your house
temperature between 20 degrees and 21 degrees Centigrade and
the humidity between 25-40%.
- Remove allergens such as animals from the house.
- If flooded, clean and dry water damaged carpets within 48 hours.
- Do not allow anyone to smoke in the house.
- Install wipeable blinds instead of curtains.
- Avoid textured wall hangings that mite allergens can adhere to.
- Remove dust collectors such as chalk boards, cork boards,
pennants, mobiles, hanging plants and open shelves.
- Keep toys and books in a closed box, drawer or cabinet.
Dust mites are so small they are invisible to the naked eye. The
average Canadian bed may play host to as many as two million dust mites.
(MACLEANS MAGAZINE: June 12 19103)
WHY A CENTRAL VACUUM?
"A central vacuum system avoids many problems by venting particles
out of doors"; according to Dr. Harold Nelson M.D., senior staff
physician at the National Jewish Center and one of 11 members of a
panel of experts that developed national guidelines for diagnosing and
treating asthma.
"The problem with conventional vacuums and regular vacuum bags is
that allergen particles pass right through and into the air. Vacuums
swirl dust mite debris and animal dander right into the air where
they are more likely to be breathed in than when sitting quietly on
your carpet. Dust mite particles settle down in about 45 minutes,
but animal dander stays in the air for long periods of time. Avoid
water vacs, vacuums that filter dust into a canister of water are not
recommended for either dander or mite debris. These vacuums can spew
out a fine mist loaded with allergens."
THE GREAT INDOORS:
We spend so much time indoors that it is important to reduce the
number of irritants in our homes.
Few people realize the air they breathe inside their homes may actually
be more hazardous to their health than outside air.
You or your child may have lived in this environment for several years
without problems. Do not let this fool you into thinking your home is
problem free - - according to most allergists, breathing in airborne
allergens is a cumulative problem.
Think of your immune system as a bucket filling up with allergens. The symptoms do not appear until your "bucket" is full. That is when
you begin to have allergy symptoms like a stuffed-up nose or watering
eyes.
Environmental control can help you avoid enough of these allergens so
that your bucket never reaches overflow levels. That is why it is the
solution most often recommended by allergists. Practicing simple
avoidance will help keep your home almost dust free.
Not only will you start each day with an "empty bucket", the clean air
home will give your immune system a chance to recover.
In our efforts to be more energy efficient we have sealed off our
homes to the extent that dust mites, molds and mildew now
accumulate at an alarming rate.
A Team Hayden Publication
For more information please contact:
Hayden Manufactering Co. Ltd
11911 No. 5 Road,
Richmond, B.C. V7A4E9
Phone: 1-800-501-5018 Fax: (604)280-7315
Internet: www.haydenvac.com
PageType: Educational
