An ultimate guide to avoiding indoor triggers for kids with asthma and allergies

Some parents may be all too familiar with their kids suffering from itchy eyes, scratchy throats and stuffy noses. Unfortunately, there may be hidden allergy “triggers” living under your own roof that are worsening your child’s allergy or asthma symptoms.

Here, Dr. Olga Guijon, a pediatrician at CHOC’s Primary Care Network and Breathmobile asthma outreach program, offers you a complete guide to indoor allergy triggers and how to avoid them.   

Common household allergy triggers for kids

What are the household allergy triggers?

Many kids have an allergy of some sort, and things that are allergens commonly found at home may serve as “triggers.” Common household allergy triggers include dust mites, pets, mold and pesty cockroaches. 

What are the common symptoms caused by household triggers?

These common household allergens may cause kids to have the following reactions:

• Itchy, watery eyes.
• Itchy skin or rashes.
• Respiratory problems like coughing and chest tightness.
• Sneezing.
• Congestion.
• Other symptoms like sore throat, headaches and fatigue.

For kids with asthma, symptoms may be more severe and include wheezing and difficulty breathing.

Household allergy triggers, explained

Dr. Guijon breaks down common allergy triggers and how to avoid them.  

Dust mites

Dust mites are microscopic bugs that commonly live in bedding, sofas, carpets or any type of fabric material. They are not visible to the naked eye. When inhaled, a protein in the dust mite droppings can cause allergic reactions. The highest concentration of dust mites in the home is in warm, humid areas such as bedrooms.

How can I avoid allergies caused by dust mites at home?

• Vacuum and dust your home (especially your child’s bedroom) regularly — at least once a week. Use a special small-pore filter bag on your vacuum or buy a vacuum with a HEPA filter. When you dust, use a damp cloth to avoid spreading dust mite particles in the air.
• Cover mattresses, pillows, and box springs with mite-proof covers (available at many large retail stores and also online).
• Wash all bed linens including sheets, pillowcases and blankets in hot water once a week.
• Make sure window coverings in your child’s room can be washed or cleaned easily. Wash all window coverings regularly with hot water.
• Limit the number of stuffed animals in your child’s room. They are dust collectors. If, possible, wash your child’s stuffed animals regularly in hot water.
• Keep the humidity level in the house below 50%. Use an air conditioner or a dehumidifier, if needed. Make sure to regularly change the air conditioning filters and drain and clean the dehumidifier.

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Pets

Pets have a protein in their saliva (spit), urine (pee), or dander (tiny flakes of dead skin) that can set off a person’s asthma or allergy symptoms.  Pet dander can remain in the home for weeks to months after pet removal.

How can I help avoid allergies caused by pets at home?

If you think being around a pet is making your child’s symptoms worse, have your child tested for allergies.

If your child has an animal allergy, you’ll have to decide whether to keep your pet or find it a new home. In some cases, your doctor may say it’s OK to keep a pet if your child’s allergies are not too severe.

Here are some tips:

• Keep pets out of your child’s bedroom or playroom.
• Encourage your child not to hug or kiss the animal.
• Vacuum and dust regularly and avoid rugs and wall-to-wall carpeting, especially in your child’s bedroom.
• Have someone other than your child wash or brush your pet every week. Bathing your animal weekly may help reduce the amount of dander it spreads in the home. Check with your veterinarian to make sure it is safe for your pet.
• If you have a cat, keep your child away from the litter box, and place the box away from air vents.
• Encourage everyone in the family to wash their hands after playing with your pet.
• If you have a pet that lives in a cage, keep it in a room that your child doesn’t spend time in regularly.
• Consider buying an air cleaner with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter for your child’s bedroom or playroom. Central air filtration systems are also an option but are much more expensive.

Hear more about pet allergies from CHOC experts.

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Mold

Mold is a microscopic plant-like organism that can be found both indoors and outdoors. It can grow on many surfaces, and prefers damp places like bathrooms and basements. Mold reproduces by sending tiny spores into the air. These spores can be inhaled and cause allergy symptoms.

How can avoid allergies caused by mold at home?

• Fix leaky pipes, faucets or roofs.
• Make sure your bathrooms, kitchen, and basement are well-ventilated. Open windows or install and use exhaust fans to help lower moisture in these areas.
• Run a dehumidifier in the basement or other damp areas. Empty and clean the water pan often.
• If possible, remove wallpaper and wall-to-wall carpeting from bathrooms and basement rooms.
• Keep the humidity level in the house below 50%. Use an air conditioner or a dehumidifier, if needed. Make sure to regularly change the air conditioning filters and drain and clean the dehumidifier.
• Clean any visible mold in showers/bathtubs with soap and water, vinegar, or a special cleaning product for mold. If your child is not sensitive to bleach/chlorine, you can also use a solution that’s 1 part chlorine bleach to 10 parts water but be sure to ventilate the area well. If you have moldy walls or ceilings, get professional help.
• When painting bathrooms or other damp areas of your house, use anti-mold paint.
• Replace or wash moldy shower curtains.
• When outdoor mold counts are high, kids should take their allergy medicine before going outdoors. They should try to avoid outdoor areas where mold is common, like leaf piles and uncut fields. After playing outdoors, they should bathe or shower and change clothes.
• Drive with the car windows shut and air conditioning on during mold seasons (usually from July to early fall).

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Cockroaches

Cockroaches have a protein in their shed body parts, saliva (spit), and droppings (poop) that can set off a person’s asthma or allergy symptoms.

How can avoid allergies caused by cockroaches at home?

• Have your home professionally exterminated every few months. Between these treatments, use bait traps to catch roaches (not aerosol sprays, which can make some kids’ symptoms worse).
• Avoid saving boxes, paper bags, or newspapers in piles around your home.
• Don’t leave open food containers or dirty dishes lying around your kitchen.
• Keep counters free of crumbs or spills.
• Keep garbage containers closed.
• Wash recyclables before putting them in the bin.
• Seal any cracks in walls and floors.
• Frequent cleaning of floors (vacuum, mopping, etc.) and countertops will reduce allergen exposure.

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Irritants

Irritants are things that pollute the air. If they get inside your nose, they can cause irritation of the nose and lungs. Common irritants include:

• perfumes
• aerosol sprays
• cleaning products
• wood and tobacco smoke
• paint or gas fumes
• smog

How can avoid allergies caused by irritants at home?

• If household products (air fresheners, candles/incense, plug-in air fresheners, etc.) trigger your child’s asthma/nose trouble, switch to unscented or non-aerosol versions.
• Avoid strong odors from paint, perfume, hair spray, disinfectants, chemical cleaners, air fresheners and glues.
• Do not burn wood fires in fireplaces or wood stoves.
• Keep your child away from areas where painting or carpentry work is being done.
• If you cook on a gas stove, make sure your kitchen is well ventilated.
• Do not smoke (or allow others to smoke) in the house — even if your child isn’t there, the smoke gets trapped in the upholstery and carpets. Avoid smoky places (like restaurants or parties).
• Live Christmas trees can cause symptoms or make them worse in some kids. Get an artificial tree if they bother your child.

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Can air filters, dehumidifiers and humidifiers help with allergies?

For kids with frequent allergy and asthma symptoms or when your child is suffering from a respiratory illness, you may consider air filters, dehumidifiers and humidifiers to provide relief.

However, there are some things to keep in mind before purchasing expensive air filtration and humidifying or dehumidifying systems. Dr. Guijon breaks down your options and offers some important information to consider.

Air filters

Air-filtration systems — also known as air purifiers — are used to pull mold, pollen, dust mites and other particulates out of household air.

The best systems use HEPA (high-efficiency particulate absorption) filters that have multiple pleats which can trap up to 99.9% of floating particles in the air. HEPA air filters may be available for your air conditioning unit and vacuum cleaners. HEPA air filtration systems may also be installed professionally in your air ducts or purchased as portable air cleaning devices.

How air filters may help kids with allergies or asthma

Although not a cure, a good air-filtration system can make be beneficial for kids with allergies or asthma. However, keep in mind that research has not proved that any filters dramatically reduce allergy or asthma symptoms.

The best possible benefit may come from HEPA air filters. However, before investing in an air filtration system, families with allergy problems should first look for and eliminate or control the source of the problem like pets, rugs, dust mites and moldy areas in the home.

How to keep air filters safe and clean for kids

Air-filtration systems need to be strictly maintained for them to work, so it’s vital to stay on top of changing the filters according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

It’s important to remember that air filters should not replace practicing good indoor hygiene. If you have a cat, dog or old rugs, if your house is dusty, or if you leave your windows open, the filtration system will not work as well.

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Dehumidifiers

Dehumidifiers remove moisture from the air, which can prevent the growth of mold and dust mites. They are particularly useful in parts of the house where humidity collects like bathrooms or damp basements.

Dehumidifiers draw air over cold coils, condensing out its moisture, before passing the air over warm coils and back into the room. (Air conditioners also take a certain amount of moisture out of the air, but dehumidifiers do this much more efficiently.)

The condensed water drips into a container in the unit that must be emptied, and sometimes, the water can be directed to a drain by means of a hose.

How dehumidifiers may help kids with allergies or asthma

Dehumidifiers may be helpful in families with very young children or a history of allergies or asthma.

For young children who spend most of their time on the floor or rugs, a dehumidifier can prevent dust mites from living in bedding, carpets or rugs.

Dehumidifying the air also controls mold growth and can make the air lighter and more comfortable for your kids with asthma.

How to keep dehumidifiers safe and clean for kids

Mold can grow in the drainage areas of a dehumidifier. It’s important to regularly clean the water basin with vinegar.

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Humidifiers

Humidifiers can be great during the winter in cold climates where heaters are often running in homes. Frequent heating may cause dry air that can irritate your child’s eyes, throat, lungs and skin.

Humidifiers can either be built into a home’s central heating system or be purchased in small, portable sizes that can be moved from room to room.

How humidifiers can help kids with allergies or asthma

Humidifiers may help ease breathing in children with asthma or allergies, especially during a respiratory infection like a cold. Humidifiers can often help provide relief for all kids with congestion, cough and sore throats caused by respiratory illnesses.

How to keep humidifiers safe and clean for kids

Steam or warm-mist humidifiers may cause your child to get accidentally burned or scalded. Because of this, opt for a cool-mist humidifier if possible, and keep the humidifier out of reach from young children. Make sure to use filtered or distilled water in your cool-mist humidifier

If a humidifier isn’t cleaned routinely, mold and bacteria may grow within the humidifier. Make sure to clean your humidifier with vinegar every two to three days, and before storing it for the season.

If your home is already humid, refrain from using a humidifier. Dust mites and mold can live and grow in moist environments.

If avoiding environmental allergens isn’t possible or doesn’t help, talk to your pediatrician. They might prescribe medicines, including antihistamines, eye drops and nasal sprays.

In some cases, a pediatrician may refer you to an allergy and immunology physician, who may recommend allergy shots (immunotherapy) to help desensitize your child to an allergen.

For more health and wellness resources from the pediatric experts at CHOC, sign up for the Kids Health newsletter.

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