Children & Asthma
Reduce asthma symptoms
Here are the facts:
- 34.1 million people in the U.S., including 9 million children, suffer from asthma.
- Asthma, the most common chronic disease of childhood, affects 1 out of every 11 children.
- In the U.S., 13 million school days are missed each year due to asthma.
- 70% of asthmatics also have allergies.
- Asthma symptoms in kids are almost always caused by triggers in the environment like pet dander, dust, mold and fragrances found in air fresheners, soaps and laundry detergents.
Protect your child by learning more about environmental triggers that cause asthma symptoms and ways to avoid them.
Asthma Triggers
Some of the most common asthma triggers include:
- Pet dander
- Mold
- Secondhand smoke
- Dust mites
- Dust/vapors
- Fragranced cleaning and
personal care products - Air pollution
- Formaldehyde
- Tree, grass, and weed pollen
- Cockroach particles
Avoiding Asthma Triggers
Mold: fix leaks, use dehumidifiers, scrub shower walls and curtains monthly with bleach, remove plants from bedrooms, wash mold off all hard surfaces and dry thoroughly.
Pet Dander: keep pets out of bedrooms and off fabric covered furniture, place cloth filters over heat vents in bedrooms, bathe your pet regularly, wipe off wood, plastic, and metal furniture weekly.
Dust Mites: wash bedding weekly, choose washable toys and clean them regularly, change furnace filters, keep stuffed toys out of beds.
Cockroaches: use traps, store food in airtight containers, clean up spills/crumbs quickly, don’t leave food out in the open.
Secondhand smoke: ideally, quit smoking, don’t smoke in your home or car.
Fragranced Products: avoid using scented products like
perfume, scented soaps and detergents, dryer sheets,
and air fresheners.
Get More Information:
Pediatric environmental Medicine Center at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC
http://www.chp.edu/CHP/P01664
Asthma is a chronic, inflammatory disease in which the airways become sensitive to allergens (any substance that triggers an allergic reaction). The exact cause of asthma is not completely known. It is believed to be partially inherited, but it also involves many other environmental, infectious, and chemical factors.
For more information on childhood asthma, visit The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - http://www.cdc.gov/asthma/children.htm
Contact the Center for Environmental Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (ceoinfo@upmc.edu) for updated information and evidence-based resources.