At-Home Asthma Triggers

Q: My son has been diagnosed with asthma, and I just read that high humidity can cause an attack. I have been using a humidifier in his bedroom since he was an infant (he’s 20 months old). Should I be using a dehumidifier instead?

A: Warm, moist air provides an ideal environment for mold and dust mites to thrive. These potential allergens may increase the risk of an asthma attack. So, unless your home’s air is exceptionally dry, it may be best to trade in that humidifier for a modern dehumidifier. Consider one with a sensor set to keep the air-moisture level between 30 percent and 50 percent. Another, less costly option is a hygrometer. This device, available at many hardware stores, measures humidity.

Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the airways that can be set off by a variety of allergenic and nonallergenic factors. Since asthma control begins in the home, it is important to decrease asthma triggers (environmental stimuli that cause airway inflammation and narrowing) there as much as possible. With regard to mold and dust mites, other options to keep them in check include:

• Removing carpets, as they can trap moisture.
• Removing dust with a damp cloth.
• Covering pillows and mattresses with special dust- and mite-proof linings.
• Choosing washable stuffed toys and drying them thoroughly before use.
• Improving ventilation in moist areas such as the kitchen and bathroom.
• Washing or replacing moldy shower curtains.
• Installing humidity-control equipment that works with your heating and air-conditioning systems.
• Checking indoor plants, as mold may grow in moist soil.
• Venting clothes dryers to the outside.
• Fixing leaky faucets or plumbing (this can also reduce the cockroach population, another potential trigger).
• Using a HEPA-filter or double-filtered vacuum bag several times per week. If you are very sensitive to indoor allergens, wear a dust mask when vacuuming.

Other potential asthma triggers include irritants (tobacco smoke, changes in weather, cold and dry air, pollutants, strenuous exercise, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), sinusitis, and allergens such as pet dander and pollen.

The most common asthma trigger in your son’s age group is sensitivity to repeated bouts of respiratory infections due to viruses. Since toddlers have smaller airways than older children and adults, the narrowing due to inflammation and mucus may cause the respiratory changes seen in asthma (fast and noisy breathing, difficulty drinking and eating, wheezing, cough). Anti-inflammatory medications, bronchodilators and others treatment approaches can greatly decrease or stop these symptoms and airway reactions from occurring.

Asthma is a difficult disease to forecast. Some children improve over the years as their maturing airways become better able to handle irritants. For others, daily asthma control is a necessary part of life. The good news is that with preventive measures and up-to-date medical treatment, most children and adults can achieve asthma control that allows for an active life with little or no symptoms.

For further information, please visit the Web sites of the Allergy and Asthma Network/Mothers of Asthmatics, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America or the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

More from Dr. Rob on MSN Health & Fitness:

• Reducing Asthma Triggers in Your Home
• Spring Allergies
• Allergic to Water?

Find all articles by Dr. Rob

More on Asthma from MSN Health & Fitness

• Can Chocolate Aggravate Your Asthma Symptoms?
• Will Salt Take Your Breath Away?
• Nearly 1 in 3 Asthma Cases May Be Misdiagnosed

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Robert Danoff, D.O., M.S., is a family physician and program director of The Family Practice Residency, as well as the combined Family Practice/Emergency Medicine Residency programs at Frankford Hospitals, Jefferson Health System, Philadelphia, Pa. He is the medical correspondent for CN8, The Comcast Network, a regular contributor to Discovery Health Online and a contributing writer to The New York Times Special Features. (Read his full bio.)