Asthma And Allergy Symptoms
Children's Allergies: Mold
Allergies are common. Adults and children alike suffer from them. An allergy is when the body reacts to something that is touched, consumed, or inhaled. People can be allergic to many things. Most are allergic to only one or two. Children suffer from allergies just as adults do.
If you suspect your child has an allergy mold is high on the list of both indoor and outdoor allergy triggers. Mold allergies give your child several symptoms which can range from mild and barely noticeable to severe and dangerous.
Mold grows in areas that are damp. Many types can grow simply on wet surfaces. Other types grow on foods, and fabrics. There are several types of mold. Black mold makes everyone sick not just those who are allergic to mold. Other types of molds are tolerated well by most people. They do not trigger allergy symptoms generally. However some people with a mold allergy or sensitivity can get quite sick from being around these normally harmless molds.
When it comes to children being allergic to mold it should be taken quite seriously. Mold is inhaled. It goes into the circulatory system. A child with a mild mold allergy may over time develop a more severe allergy to that mold if the mold is not taken care of and removed from the child's environment.
Mold allergies produce symptoms ranging from mild to severe. Mild mold allergy symptoms include dark circles under the eyes, fatigues, painful and stuffy sinuses, runny nose and irritability. Severe mold allergy symptoms include hives, anaphylactic shock and even death upon contact with mold or anything derived of mold. This includes antibiotics such as penicillin and amoxicillin. This also includes aged products and alcohols.
The most severe mold allergies require immediate medical attention. Mild ones can be tamed with a daily antihistamine which can be prescribed for your child by their doctor.
Mold can be removed from homes. The key to it is to kill it and then not allow it a chance to grow again. Keep moldy foods out of the refrigerator and cabinets to ensure your child does not consume them. Check your foods daily for any signs of mold. Make sure things are used promptly and tossed before they get to the point of mold. Repair all leaky pipes and make sure the area is thoroughly dry to stop mold problems on walls and floors in bathroom or laundry areas. This is also a good fix for under the counter mold problems too. Mold will only grow under the counter if there is a water leak of drip. Others things can cause high levels of moisture in the home too. Remember to make sure that clothes dryers are vented outside properly. Also make sure your bathroom has a ventilation fan to release the moisture from showers and such. Without moisture most molds cannot survive. Eliminating mold is a good way to help your child's mold allergy symptoms. Be sure to check with your doctor about all health concerns you have for your children. Thanks for reading and take care!
By Sincerity Anna -
I am a wife, mother to five, and a full-time freelance writer.
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Do you need help with your asthma questions? (Read this)?
I have suffered from asthma since I was 11. I am posting this as a way of helping so many of you who are suffering from asthma on here.
There's a great book called Reversing Asthma by a doctor who suffers from asthma himself. (name is Richard n Firshein)
Also a great website I've bought products from in the past www.allergyasthmatech.com.
I'm not trying to push products by the way. I've just found that asthma catalog and the book above very helpful to me personally.
These are things that can help you if you have not tried them already.
-Get rid of mold in your home. Keep damp areas like basements and bathrooms as dry as possible. Get a dehumidifier if needed.
-Get rid of pets if you can, or keep them out of the bedroom.
-Get rid of strong cleaning chemicals (especially bleach) use vinegar instead
-Get rid of mouse, rat, and bug poisons. Use natural bug killers if you can.
-Keep house (naturally) clean to keep roaches away. Their poop triggers attacks.
-Get rid of air deodorizers/air fresheners. They have been proven in scientific studies to trigger asthma and allergy symptoms.
-Wash your sheets and blankets in hot water once a week to kill dust mites which trigger attack
-Cover your pillows and mattresses in dust mite zip covers (you can vinyl ones cheap at Wal-mart)
-Get an air purifier for getting rid of mold and dust. Get one with a good HEPA filter. Do NOT get an ozone machine. Those trigger asthma, not help it. Do NOT get an ionizer type air purifier. Those produce ozone as a by product which can aggravate asthma.
-Get rid of new carpeting and replace with hard wood floors if you can afford it.
-Vacuum once a week and wear a dust mask when you clean or vacuum.
- Get tested for food allergies. Stop eating dairy, nuts (especially peanuts) and processed foods for at least a month to see if you improve. Try to eat organic and more vegetables and fruits. Eat lots of garlic which is a natural anti-inflammatory. (you can get supplements.)
-Check your work environment. Are you being exposed to chemicals or allergens or mold there? Is your job making things worse? If so, it might be time to change jobs or get a doctor's note for your boss.
- Get a second opinion if you feel your current doc is not helping you.
- Get a neti pot for sinus infections (they have worked wonders for me and you can get one cheap at Wal-greens) You poor salt or saline solution into warm water to irrigate your sinuses.
- Get tested for general allergies and get allergy shots if you can afford them. They can be very helpful for some asthmatics. (they've helped me)
- Some folks are sensitive to extremely dry air. If you must get a humidifier, get one that's easy to clean and replace the filters often since they can grow mold themselves
- Get good high filtration filters like Filtrete for your heating and cooling system in your house. Those alone, can make a difference. Remember to replace them regularly.
- Stop smoking, if you smoke. (I know it's hard but the reason I have asthma is because I was around my mom's second hand smoke growing up) Don't smoke around your kids if you can help it.
- Stop drinking. Alcohol is a nervous system depressant. A beer every once in awhile is probably fine but if you're a heavy drinker, it could be affecting your lungs.
- Learn breathing exercises. Take yoga classes which are great for asthma. Listen to relaxation tapes when you get home from work.
- Wean yourself off of prednizone if you can little by little and gradually get onto an inhaled steroid instead. They have less side effects and get directly into the lungs better. (I'm personally on Asmanex which is a brand new one) Oral steroids have long term side effects. Get off of them if you can and switch to an inhaled steroid.
- Exercise. I know exercise can irritate asthma for some, but build up slowly. Start with walking. It's one of the best ways to build up your breathing capacity over time.
- Get tested for acid reflux. Have heartburn, or tightness in your chest after you eat? Chronic acid reflux can result from overuse of oral steroids. They make the esophagus weak, and acid comes up more easily. This can eventually, irritate the lungs. Stay away from spicey foods or high acid foods like tomatoes. If you notice tightness in your chest after eating things like icecream or chocolate, those are acid reflux triggers. Stop certain foods for awhile and see if you improve. Stick to a bland diet for at least a month to see if there's a difference.
- Use your peak flow meter. If you don't have one, ask your doc for one. It measures your true breathing capacity if you're not sure how "tight" you are getting.
- Use a scarf in the winter to keep the air going into your lungs warm and moist. Extreme temperature changes can trigger symptoms.
- Close your car windows and use the air in the summer on especially hot days. Ozone triggers asthma.
- Are you an artist? Is your favorite hobby making you sic
Get the answers...
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