The warm air has hit some of us in the Southern States. Blue skies and comfortable breezes greet us as we escape the solitudes of our humble abodes. For some of us, this brings a new distress. Allergy and asthma season.
For those of us with small children, its our worst nightmare to watch our children struggle to breath. It has been figured that 38% of children suffer from asthma. As far as I'm concerned, that's 38% that shouldn't have to experience such a terrifying ordeal.
There are a few things we as parents can do to help our little ones cope.
1. Become avid weather watchers: Keep an eye on the weather channel and notice the air quality and pollen count. The warm air is a blessing, but to asthma sufferers, its also compare able to a double-edged sword. Pollen rides on the breeze to cause a great deal of havoc.
Be more aware of when thunderstorms are brewing, the humidity and unstable air are great for sending pollens airborne, and the heavier air makes the lungs work harder than usual. Keep the kiddos inside with the A/C running on days likely to be asthma active.
2. Invest in a good vacuum with a hepa filter, dust and dust mites are indoor triggers that are easy to keep down with routine vacuuming. Don't forget to keep fresh linens on the beds, and vacuum the mattress at least once a month, dust mites like to hide in mattresses, and if pets are part of the family, becoming friendly with the vacuum will take care of pet dander.
3. Switch to non toxic cleaners, you can find natural fruit based cleaners at Wal-Mart, or go for the Melaleuca approach, you can find natural cleaners at melaleuca.com. Heavy cleansers with a strong chemical concentration such as pine or bleach aggravate the bronchial lining, causing flare-ups. If your a die hard Pine scented cleaner user, try and do your cleaning on a day the winds are relatively calm, and you can open the windows.
4.Check your house for mold and mildew, bathrooms and under kitchen sinks are key areas where mold thrives. Kids splashing water in the tub may be cute at the time, but its crucial to clean the water up off the floor after the bathtub snorkling adventure is over. Water on the floor can seep under baseboards and create a breeding ground for black mold
5. Make sure everybody is eating their Wheaties and taking their Flinstones on a daily basis, kids with low immunity due to low minerals have a hard time fending off colds and other respiratory illnesses that can lead to an attack. Lots of B-6, B-12, and of course vitamin C are essential.
Allergies and Asthma sufferers are still capable of normal active lives, with a little careful planning and extra measures, the warmer weather will be a blessing to us all.
