Internal medicine and allergy expert Raymond G. Slavin, MD MS, co-founder of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, St. Louis Chapter, answers to major questions about indoor allergies and how to reduce exposure to indoor allergens.
1) What are the most common indoor triggers affecting those with asthma and allergies?
The most common indoor triggers are warm-blooded animals (particularly dogs and cats), mold (which may be present in damp environments), cockroach, mice, house dust mites (commonly living in beds and pillows) and second hand smoke. Special mention should be made of cockroach because studies have shown they are the single biggest risk factor for emergency room visits and hospitalizations in children with asthma.
2) What suggestions do you have for people to optimize their indoor air quality and to reduce asthma/allergy triggers in the home?
A great deal can be done to optimize indoor air quality and reducing asthma and allergy triggers in the home. Second hand smoke is known to have an adverse effect on children and adults with asthma/allergies, so smokers must never smoke in the presence of others. Sensitivity to cats and dogs is quite common, and if the patient is sensitive, the pet should optimally be removed from the home. If this is not possible, then the pet should at least be kept out of the bedroom. If there is mold in the home, efforts should be made to get to the source of the water that keeps the mold growing — It is not enough to remove the mold with bleach. The pipe(s) or roof that is the source of the water should be repaired. House dust mite allergy can be approached by making the bedroom as plain and simple as possible, covering the pillow and mattress in allergen proof encasings, and washing the bedding at 103 degrees. Finally, there are safe insecticides for cockroach. To keep the cockroach away, food should be covered and never brought into the bedroom.
Raymond G Slavin, MD MS
Professor Emeritus, Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Co-Founder, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, St. Louis Chapter
