| Make Your Child’s Bedroom Allergy-Free |
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Allergies affect four out of every 10 children in the United States. If your child is one of them, you know that children’s allergy symptoms like sneezing, itchy eyes, and a runny nose can make a kid feel downright miserable. What you may not know, is that you can do a lot to keep your child’s bedroom allergen-free. Doing so can help alleviate those troublesome allergy symptoms. Allergy-Free Bedrooms: Allergy Triggers in the BedroomSome of the most common indoor allergens -- the ones that can trigger childhood allergy symptoms -- are often found in bedrooms. These include dust mites, mold, pet dander, and even cockroaches. If you regularly have the windows in your child’s bedroom open, you’re also inviting outdoor allergens, like pollen, to come in. But that’s not all. Certain substances that may be lingering in the bedroom air can irritate airways that are already inflamed by childhood allergies. For instance, secondhand smoke, fragrant personal products, and cleaning supplies, can all make your child’s allergy misery worse. Allergy-Free Bedrooms: Ditch the Dust MitesDust mites are microscopic critters. Their droppings, though, are the most common cause of year-round allergy symptoms. Dust mites thrive in humid environments, so using a dehumidifier or air conditioner to keep the bedroom humidity below 50% will help limit how many of the culprits are there. Dust mites like to eat the millions of skin cells that we shed each day. One place where these cells can be found in high concentrations is our linens. If your child’s indoor allergies are caused by dust mites, using plastic cases on the mattress, comforters, and pillows will help reduce allergy symptoms like itching, sneezing, and watery eyes. Another important step to take is to wash your child’s bedding in very hot water -- at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit -- every week. Check your hot water heater to be sure it’s set to reach this temperature. Clutter can be problem when coping with childhood allergies, too. Stuffed animal collections or the ever-growing piles of comic books can make it hard to get relief from symptoms of allergies. That doesn’t mean your child’s room needs to be bare. But keeping the items that are located in the bedroom to a minimum can mean less misery brought on by allergy symptoms. Try reserving space in a nearby hall closet with a door where your child can store toys and other belongings in a dust-free environment. And there’s no need to forgo stuffed animals -- just be sure to purchase toys that can be washed and dried. Also, dust mites love to live in carpets and upholstered furniture, so it’s best to minimize these surfaces in your child’s bedroom. That will help reduce allergy symptoms. If you need to cover bare floors, choose throw rugs that can be washed and dried easily. Regardless of the surface, it’s a good idea to vacuum your child’s room regularly. That will suck up even more allergy-provoking dust mites. Just make sure you use a vacuum that has a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate) filter or double bag. Standard vacuums may release dust into the air. If your child vacuums his or her own room, it’s a good idea for them to wear a dust mask while vacuuming.Allergy-Free Bedrooms: Mold, Be Gone Mold allergies in schools have received a lot of attention in the news lately. But molds in your home could also be adding to your child’s allergy symptoms. If your child’s bedroom is carpeted, make sure to check it for any indications of mold or mildew. Check especially in areas near windows. And kudos to you if your child picks up those dirty clothes and places them in a hamper. Just make sure the clothes are not damp or sweaty. The dark, dank atmosphere of the hamper can be an ideal environment for mold to grow. Also, make sure that the hamper is emptied daily. Have you noticed any condensation on the windows or window frames in your child’s bedroom? If so, check with a local hardware store and ask about options for eliminating this moisture. If it persists, it could help mold grow. That could mean more allergy symptoms like sneezing and sniffling for your child. Allergy-Free Bedrooms: Adios to Pet AllergiesIf your family doesn’t already have pets and you’re considering getting one, you might consider a pet without fur or feathers. For instance, choosing fish or a reptile shouldn’t trigger childhood allergy symptoms. When people are allergic to pets, it’s not the fur that triggers sneezing, watery eyes or a stuffy, runny nose. Instead, these allergy symptoms are caused by an immune system reaction to a protein in pet saliva, dead skin flakes (dander), or urine. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a breed of dog or cat that won’t trigger allergies. Some animals, though, tend to produce more allergens than others. If Fido and Fluffy are already part of your home and your hearts, there are still steps you can take to keep your child’s bedroom as allergy-free as possible. Your child may love to have the dog or cat sleep in the bedroom. But if the pets are causing that stuffy nose, it’s best to keep them out of the bedroom. Bathing pets every week can also cut down on the amount of dander they shed. That will reduce levels of dander throughout your home, including in the bedrooms. Allergy-Free Bedrooms: Controlling CockroachesCockroaches are bad news, and their droppings cause severe allergy symptoms for many people. While they’re usually found in kitchens and bathrooms, they can easily make their way to any room in the house. Forget breakfast in bed. Make it a rule that bedrooms in your home are “no-food zones,” That will eliminate the presence of cockroach-calling crumbs in sleeping areas. The best plan for keeping cockroaches out of the bedroom is to keep them out of the entire house. So be sure to seal any cracks or leaks that they may be using to gain access to your home. 5 More Tips for Allergy-Free Bedrooms
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