Dealing with their child's respiratory allergies has become one of the biggest child rearing issues for many parents. There are studies that have shown that a majority of children have allergies in some form. Because the symptoms of allergies vary, it can be difficult to know if your child has allergies or something more serious like asthma. Before treatment, you should have your doctor determine the correct diagnosis. If your child has allergies, you might see any combination of these symptoms:
* Sneezing, itchy nose
* Congestion and stopped up nose
* Running nose and watering eyes
* Frequent cough or throat clearing from post-nasal drip
* Frequent ear infections
If you want to help your child's respiratory allergy symptoms, removing as much dust and pollen from the home should be your first priority. This can make a huge difference in both the severity and the frequency of your child's allergy attacks. You can see dust in the air in your home, and you most likely clean it off of furniture tops. But dust also settles into upholstered furniture, carpeting and bedding, creating problems for your child. Your body also sheds dead skin cells which accumulate with the dust.
Dust mites are tiny insects that live in your home and feed on these dead skin cells, and are the source of many allergy problems. You can greatly reduce this allergy source by using anti-allergy pillow and mattress covers on your bed. Vacuum carpets daily (or replace them with wood or tile), and use a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA filter to make sure you remove as much dust as possible.
Children with allergies are also often affected by mold growing in the home. This can be a big problem in older houses and in high humidity areas. A dehumidifier will work to remove the excess humidity from your home, and reduce the growth of mold. You may find it works best to place a dehumidifier in each of the large rooms of your home, making sure that the dehumidifier is of the right size for the room.
If your home has an air conditioning unit, it can be a source of allergens if the filter isn't clean enough to do its job. Check your manufacturer's recommendations, and clean or change the filter as needed to prevent dust and pollen from being recirculated through your home. If you can, look to see if there is a HEPA replacement filter made for your model, and you can remove even microscopic particles from the air.
If you want your home as clean as possible for your child, you need have the right vacuum cleaner. A HEPA filter is necessaryfor removing dust and pollen. And since you'll need to do a lot of vacuuming, you'll want a machine that's light and easy to maneuver. This Dyson DC25 review explainss how the Dyson DC25 helps keep dust and pollen to a minimum in your home, and makes housekeeping in general easier for you.
Posted under Allergies
This post was written by Kelly de Borda on March 14, 2011
