Preventing Asthma Attacks in the Home

Asthma attacks can happen anywhere – even in the comforts of your own home. While there are certainly medications available that could treat an asthma flare-up, preventing it from happening in the first place is still the ideal solution. In children, most asthma attacks are caused by an allergic reaction, so keeping the home free of allergens that could cause such a reaction should be a priority for every household with an asthmatic family member.

But just how can we prevent asthma attacks in the home?

Clean and Ventilate.

Cleaning the house involves removing dust, throwing out unnecessary objects that only add to the clutter (and surface area for the dust to settle on), and keeping harmful chemicals kept safely and out of the way. Ventilation involves ensuring a good air flow into and out of the home. By removing dust and other particles in the air, you’re also removing some risks that could cause asthma attacks.

Keep pets outside.

Pet dander is one of the most significant triggers for asthma attacks – and one that most families have difficulty avoiding as pets are commonly thought of as part of the family. Keep the pets outside, or have a separate space for them so that they can be kept away from the areas of the house where the person with asthma frequents.

Allergy-proof the sleeping quarters.

Allergy-proof covers and pillows provide better sleep quality for the asthmatic individual than any old regular bed covers will do. Better sleep means less stress, which is also a cause for asthma attacks.

Absolutely no smoking.

Smoking significantly triggers asthma attacks, and should thus be a banned activity at home. In fact, when there is a member of the family with asthma, smoking should be avoided all together as tobacco smoke gets into the clothes and hair. This can still be inhaled by the asthmatic family member, even though the tobacco or cigarette was smoked in a different room or even outside the house.

Install air filters.

Air filters work by filtering the air that goes into the rooms in your home, and removing dust and other probably harmful particulate matter, resulting to cleaner air. Installing air filters can greatly benefit families with members that have asthma, as this removes some triggers that could cause asthma attacks. There are various kinds of air filters, and doing some research on the best air filters online can help you decide what to install in your home.

Keeping asthma controlled is the best way to prevent asthma attacks from happening at all. By maintaining a healthy environment at home and keeping the air clean, the risk for having an asthma attack while in the comforts of home can be eliminated.