5 Crucial Ways to Keep Your Home Safe for Asthmatic Kids

Does your child have asthma? If so, keeping your home safe is an important part of managing this condition. Read on to find out about 5 crucial ways to keep the house asthma-friendly for your child.

Develop and Stick to a Cleaning Schedule

One of the best ways to make your home safe is to develop and stick to a cleaning schedule. Ideally, according to Kids Health, this means that vacuuming and dusting should take place weekly. The vacuum cleaner should have a small pore filter and when dusting , use a damp cloth so the dust is not kicked back out into the air again. Every 2- 3 weeks, it is also good to wash all bedclothes and pillows in hot water and drying them on high heat.

Clear the Air – Literally

Have either an ionizing or HEPA filtered air purifier is also a great way to keep the air in your home clean. While both help to remove impurities/allergens from the air, they work in different ways, according to Home Air Guides. A HEPA filter draws air into the machine and captures things like pollen and dust in its filter. On the other hand, an ionizer works by sending out negatively charged particles into the air to bind with pollen, dust, and other allergens and cause them to sink to the floor, where they can be vacuumed up. Talk to your doctor about which method would be best for your home.

Know How to Manage Your Pet

If you have a pet, managing it well is a crucial part of keeping your home asthma-safe. Kids Health notes that, ideally, especially if you have a cat or dog, you should keep your pet outside. However, if this is not possible, at least make sure to keep it out of your child's bedroom. Be sure to brush and wash pets weekly if they are indoors. If you have a cat, do not let your child clean the litter box.

Eliminate Mold

Mold spores are a major trigger for allergy attacks, which in turn can spark an asthma flare-up. However, WebMd notes that keeping crawl spaces/basements well-ventilated and dry, as well as washing shower curtains periodically and not leaving wet clothing in the washer can help reduce mold and mildew. Kids Health also suggests fixing leaking pipes of faucets, dehumidifying, and washing mildewed areas with a water-bleach solution.

Avoid those Irritants

Your child may be sensitive to things like smoke or fumes from different chemicals, and this sensitivity could easily lead to a flare-up which can lead to an unplanned visit to the ER. Luckily, many irritants are easy to avoid. Make sure you do not smoke in the house or around your children in general. Also avoid buying heavily scented products such as soaps, cleaners, detergents, or personal care products.

These simple steps can go a long way to making your home a safe and healthy place to be for your asthmatic child.