Health

Sunday September 17, 2006

Home safe home



It may be home sweet home to most of us, but allergy sufferers might find that their homes may have accomplices that precipitate allergies.

Minimise the use of cut flowers indoors.
READY or not, here I come!” Amir hollered, enthusiastically playing hide-and-seek with his little sister. Little Tina crouched motionless behind some tall grass. She was sure her brother would not be able to find her. Just then, her eyes started to itch and her nose twitched.

“Achoo!” Alas, little Tina’s allergy betrayed her and ended the hide-and-seek game in their garden.

To most of us, home is the safest place on earth, but to allergy sufferers like Tina, even the home and its surroundings can be full of foes with great potential of triggering allergies that bring annoying symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, watery eyes, hives, eczema and asthma attacks.

And the tricky part is everything about the house looks safe. So, where are the culprits? Before we hunt them down, let’s take a look at what happens in an allergic reaction.

Our immune system is supposed to protect our body from harmful agents like bacteria and viruses. However, at times, our immune system reacts abnormally towards certain substances referred to as allergens, which incidentally abound around the home. In the process, irritating chemicals are released in the body and allergic symptoms mentioned earlier appear.

So, to curb allergies, allergens should be avoided or reduced in the house. This is more so if you have an infant or young child at home because approximately 60% of all allergies appear during the first year of life. And if you think allergies are trivial matters, think again. While it is true that allergies are rarely fatal, chronic allergies inflict much physical suffering, cost money and time as well as erode the quality of life, both for the sufferer and his family. Now, let’s begin our hunt around the house to make it safer for kids like Tina.

Declaring war on house dust mites

One of the worst allergens in the home is dust mite, a microscopic eight-legged creature that feeds on skin cells shed by humans and pets. An alarming two million mites inhabit the average double bed. They also swarm pillows, carpets, curtains, stuffed toys, upholstered furniture and soft furnishings. Dust mites and their droppings can cause rhinitis, asthma and at times skin irritations. Here are some tips to keep this nuisance away:

  •    Keep your house uncluttered. Vacuum and mop the floor frequently. Do away with carpets if possible.

  •    Opt for cotton or polyester curtains. Avoid venetian blinds as they trap dust.

  •    Use cotton bedspreads and blankets. Choose pillows with hypoallergenic fibre. Do not put canopies over beds. Washing bedclothes in hot (60°C) water will kill the mites.

  •    Put soft toys in a clean plastic bag and keep it in the freezer to kill dust mites.

    Stop smelling the flowers!

    Another allergen that floats by the millions in the garden air is pollen, the fine yellow dust found in many flowers. Enzymes in the pollen grain help it to penetrate the lining of the nose and trigger an allergic reaction. That was the cause of Tina’s allergic reaction.

    The outdoors have a plentiful supply of pollen from flowering trees, shrubs, grass and weeds.

    Try the following to quash the pollen threat:

  •       Do not plant flowering trees or shrubs near your house or choose low-allergy plants like bougainvillea, ixora, periwinkle or orchids. Avoid chrysanthemums, daisies and dahlias unless they are hybrids with no pollen.

           For more about “safe” plants, visit this website www.allergyfree-gardening.com

  •        Minimise the use of cut flowers indoors.

  •       Make sure your allergic child bathes, shampoos and changes his clothes after playing outdoors.

  •        Pick low allergen destinations, like the seaside for your holiday.

    Moulds – another troublemaker

    Moulds are fungi that reproduce through millions of air-borne spores. When inhaled by an allergic person, these spores may trigger allergic reactions such as rhinitis and asthma. Moulds love damp and humid places like bathrooms. They also grow on old foam rubber pillows and mattresses, leather goods and dried flowers. To combat indoor moulds:

  •       Use mould-resistant paint on walls.

  •        Place dehumidifiers in shoe cases and store rooms.

  •        Limit the number of potted plants. Cover the soil with pebbles or stones.

  •       Fix leaky pipes and windows immediately.

    Is your pet giving you more than love?

    Very often, our loyal pets can turn out to be our “enemies”. Dogs, cats, birds, hamsters, mice and rabbits are all capable of causing problems.

    Is your pet giving you more than love?
    Animal dander, the flaky skin cells that your pet shed by the millions each day, may be inhaled and cause allergic reactions.

    Pets also shed additional allergens into the environment through their dried saliva and urine on walls, floors and furniture. Removing the pet from the home may be necessary. But if you insist on keeping it, here are some ways to live more healthily with it:

  • Do not allow the pet into the allergic child’s room.

  • Keep the pet clean but do not allow the allergic child to wash the animal.

  • Do not brush the pet indoors and if clothing is contaminated by contact with the pet, change and launder thoroughly.

    Stamping out smoke

    The message here is short and simple. Tobacco smoke aggravates respiratory allergies and asthma. So ban smoking at home so that every lungful of air will be fresh and safe.

    By making these changes around the house, you can make your home a safer place for your kids to grow and develop healthily and happily.

    Note: This article is courtesy of the Malaysian Society of Allergy and Immunology (MSAI) in conjunction with World Allergy Day 2006. To find out more about allergy, come to the MSAI public forum in Sheraton Kuala Lumpur today. Admission is free. To find out more about the forum, call 03-4041 0092 or 03-4041 6336.

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