Sniff out the triggers in your home and build your HOME Battle Plan!

 

Home is where the heart is, but homes can be asthma traps if triggers are not recognized and managed. With this tip-list compiled by your furry four-legged friends at AsthmaRangers.com, you can sniff out asthma triggers lurking in your home to uncover your home's asthma-dangers.

Sometimes the triggers you find will be easy to fix, but sometimes it can take some planning. The important thing is to know what you're dealing with, so dig right in and be sure to tell your parents what you discover. Then work together to build a battle-plan to rid your home of asthma-dangers.
 

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Whole Home Triggers
 

• why second-hand smoke is a special danger for kids with asthma
   

• why gas and wood fireplaces are a special danger for kids with asthma
   

• why aerosol and pump spray cleaners are a special danger for kids with asthma
   

• why aerosol, pump and plug-in air fresheners are a special danger for kids with asthma
   

• why scented candles and incense are a special danger for kids with asthma
   

• choosing asthma-friendly air fragrance products
   

• why mothballs are a special danger for kids with asthma
   

• why special HEPA vacuum cleaners are better for kids with asthma
   

• how carpeting and vinyl floors can negatively affect kids with asthma
   

• shades are better, less dusty choices than venetian blinds or curtains for kids with asthma

 

Choosing and Placing Houseplants

 

• why houseplants must be kept out of reach from kids and pets
   

• which kinds of houseplants help keep indoor air cleaner for kids with asthma
   

• English Ivy plants proven to help remove mold spores in homes of kids with asthma
   

• how mold spores on fresh cut Christmas trees can trigger attacks in kids with asthma
  
   

Managing Pet Triggers
 

• choosing a dog breed for kids with asthma
   

• why having a dog helps keep kids asthma-free
   

• why infants living with pets are less likely to get allergies to pets
   

• special care and safety rules for dogs and cats living with kids with asthma
   

• why flea-control shampoos and collars are a special danger for kids with asthma
   

• how choosing special anti-dander pet shampoos can help kids with asthma

 

• special care for pets that have asthma
   

• fun virtual pet game helps kids with asthma
  
   

Kitchen

 

• how fumes from dishwashers that use chlorine-bleach cleaners hurt kids with asthma
   

• why hand-washing dishes is now thought to be better for kids with asthma
   

• how fumes from ammonia oven cleaners can hurt kids with asthma
   

• why gas cooking stoves are a special danger for kids with asthma
   

• why controlling cockroaches, mice and rats helps kids with asthma
   

• why getting rid of brown paper bags helps control cockroach problems
   

• why non-aerosol non-spray asthma-safe pesticides are crucial for kids with asthma

 

Bathroom
 

• choosing asthma and eco-friendly shampoos and soaps for kids with asthma
   

• why anti-bacterial soaps can hurt kids with asthma
   

• why aerosol and pump spray deodorants/hairsprays are a danger for kids with asthma
   

• why perfume and fragrances are a special danger for kids with asthma
   

• choosing cosmetics for teens with asthma
   

• how mint flavoring and other ingredients in toothpaste can affect kids with asthma
   

• how fluoride in toothpaste and other fluoride products can affect kids with asthma
   

• why kids with asthma should not get dental fluoride sealants or varnish treatments
   

• how fumes from vinyl shower curtains/bathmats can trigger attacks in kids with asthma
   

• why using shower-head water filters can reduce chlorine fumes to help kids with asthma
   

• why bathroom mold is a special danger for kids with asthma
   

• why mold and moisture damage in homes are a special danger for kids with asthma
   

• where to look for and how to get rid of mold in bathrooms of kids with asthma
  
   

Bedroom
 

• how dust mites in beds and pillows and stuffed animals can trigger asthma attacks
   

• choosing pillows for kids with asthma

   

• certified mattress and pillow slip-covers can help kids with asthma
   

• why leaving beds rumpled can decrease dust mites
   

• why sleeping on a bottom bunk increases allergens and triggers asthma attacks in kids
   

• why jackets and clothes that have been worn outdoors should be kept in closed closets
   

• why humidifiers can be a special danger for kids with asthma
   

• choosing electric air purifiers for kids with asthma
   

• how changing air conditioner filters once a month helps kids with asthma
   

• how ceiling and table fans can blow dust that can trigger attacks in kids with asthma
   

• why keeping pets out of bedrooms and off beds can help kids with asthma

 

Laundry

 

• choosing asthma-friendly laundry products
   

• why fabric softeners and dryer sheets are a special danger for kids with asthma
   

• why chlorine bleach laundry products are a special danger for kids with asthma

   

• weekly hot-water wash of covers, sheets and pillow-cases helps kids with asthma
   

• freeze or hot-water wash stuffed animals to remove dust mites to help kids with asthma
   

• why bedding and clothing of kids with asthma should not be hung to dry outdoors
   

• why new clothes should be washed before wearing for kids with asthma

Basement
 

• why fume-less electric heating systems are better for kids with asthma than oil or gas
   

• why changing furnace filters is crucial for kids with asthma
   

• choosing furnace filters for homes of kids with asthma
   

• cleaning heat ducts that are dusty or infested with mice or mold helps kids with asthma
   

• choosing professional duct-cleaning services for kids with asthma
   

• choosing humidifiers and de-humidifiers for homes of kids with asthma
   

• why keeping home humidity levels below 50% helps kids with asthma
   

• signs that show that your home may need a de-humidifier to control moisture