Common Asthma Triggers in Children & How to Avoid Them

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition of the airways (the tubes that conduct air in and out of your lungs). In the US alone, there are 20 million people suffering from asthma, of which 9 million are children. Owing to the fact that the condition assumes a more serious nature in kids, it’s important to recognize what factors could trigger an attack among children. 

Since these triggers in themselves can be quite varied, identifying them is not always easy. However, parents should keep an eye open for some of these more common factors, and take every possible precaution to avoid them. 

The common triggers of asthma in children are: 

·         Allergens: Allergies are among the leading causes of asthma in children. These allergens could be as varied as pollen, dust mites, animal dander, and mold. 

·         Infections in the upper respiratory tract: They are often caused by viruses and affect the windpipe, throat, and nose. These infections could also include pneumonia or sinusitis. 

·         Exercise: A large number of children complain of coughing, wheezing, and a tight feeling in their chest when they exercise. This can become particularly severe in cold weathers. 

·         Airborne Irritants: Chemical fumes, cigarette smoke, atmospheric pollution, volatile compounds in sprays, and perfumes are known to trigger asthma. 

·         Weather Conditions: Sudden changes in weather condition, windy days, cold air, excessive humidity, and high temperatures can all lead to an asthma attack. 

·         Emotional Factors: Asthma can be brought on by emotional triggers as well, such as excessive joy or grief or stress. 

·         Medicines: NSAIDs or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are a class of painkillers that include ibuprofen and aspirin. They are occasionally known to trigger asthma in children. For this reason, it’s advisable not to give aspirin to children under 16 years of age. It is necessary for the kids to take a long-term control medication such as generic Albuterol/Ventolin to prevent asthma attack and symptoms. 

How to Help your Child Avoid these Triggers  

It is not humanly possible to rid your lifestyle of all possible triggers of asthma. However, in a desire to keep your child safe, you may want to take the following precautions: 

1.       Prohibit smoking inside your house or car. Reduce other indoor irritants, such as scented cleaning products, room deodorizers, diffusers, and mothballs. 

2.       Reduce the child’s exposure to dust mites by covering his/her mattress with a special anti-allergy casing. In addition, vacuum and dust the house regularly, wash their bedding in warm water every 2-3 weeks, and reduce indoor humidity by using a dehumidifier. Finally, keep the bedroom/nursery free of any carpeting. 

3.       If pollen is the likely suspect for asthma attack in your child, reduce exposure to it by using an AC in the bedroom. During seasons when there is a lot of pollen in the air, keep all doors, windows, and vents closed. 

4.       Pets are the leading cause of allergies among children. If it is not possible to remove them from the house, prevent them from entering your kid’s bedroom. Additionally, you may want to consider installing a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter in their room to deal with the problem of pet dander.