Asthma: How to Prevent Attacks at Home

Asthma is one of the most common respiratory diseases that affect both children and adults alike. It can also be pretty tricky, as different people react differently to various kinds of allergens. Asthma attacks can be difficult to prevent without knowing what triggered it in the first place. However, there are certain steps that you can take in order to prevent attacks at home.

1. Limit exposure to dust.
Dust can contain dust mites, which are tiny bugs that live in dust, so it’s important to avoid exposing yourself or a family member who has asthma to too much dust. Ensure that your home is as dust-free as possible my regularly cleaning and dusting surfaces and bed sheets, and washing toys and bed covers.

2. Prevent anyone from smoking indoors.
Smoke from tobacco is a significant asthma trigger, so if any family member has asthma, it’s very important to restrict smoking inside the home. In fact, it would be better to have every family member stop smoking altogether, considering that tobacco smoke gets into hair and clothes, where it can then be inhaled by the affected family member. If having one or more family members quit smoking is close to impossible, have them wear different shirts after they smoke, or cover their hair when they do smoke outside.

3. Don’t keep any pets.
Particularly pets that shed hair or fur. Pet dander is a combination of hair and dead skin cells, and is considered an asthma trigger. Not keeping any pets is the best option for families that have members affected with asthma.

4. Control insect proliferation.
Roaches and other insects can be common allergens for children and adults with asthma. Even the cleanest homes can have roach problems, so it’s important to clean up after yourself and avoid leaving human or pet food sitting out. Take the trash out, and seal up any small openings where roaches could enter through easily.

The air that you breathe while at home is also a factor in an asthma attack being triggered, so aside from making sure that allergens are removed indoors, it’s also important to maintain a healthy quality of indoor air. Ensure the quality of indoor air by cleaning air filters regularly, or replacing them when necessary. A number of homes may have uniquely-shaped furnace filters, but there are furnace filter sizes by FilterBuy that can accommodate even the most unusual shapes of furnaces and vents.