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TRANSCRIPT
MARCH 2009 YouR guide to AStHMA & AlleRgieS
Asthma & Allergies
CONTENTS 2 ForewordbyAAFA
2 ThriveAllergyExpo
3 WhoisatriskforAsthma
6 InsideScoop
6 OTCorPrescription
7 TreatingAsthma
7 AllergicMarch
ASThMA&AllErgIES‘Asthma & Allergies’ is a special advertising supplement produced by Mediaplanet and distributed by the Chicago tribune.
Publisher:[email protected]+13122225996
Editor:MarlenePiturro,PhD
Contributors: MarlenePiturro,PhD AAFA
KirkVanHyning DrJamesThompson
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Photos:©iStockPhoto.com
Mediaplanet is the leading publisher in providing high quality and in-depth analysis on topical industry and market issues, in print, online and broadcast.For more information about supplements in the daily press, please contact Allan Chiu, +1 312 222 5966 [email protected]
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How Infl amed Are Your Airways?
Don’t Guess. QUANTIFY!To learn more, visit
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© 2009 Apieron, Inc. ML00043.A
AllacrossAmerica,peoplehave
life-threatening diseases that
restrict theirabilitiesand limit
their quality of life. But only a few
diseases have reached such epidemic
proportions that one out of every 4
people is affected.This is the state of
asthmaandallergiestoday.
According to the Asthma and
AllergyFoundationofAmerica(AAFA),
more than 60 million Americans have
asthma or allergies. The number of
peoplewith thesediseases in theU.S.
has more than doubled over the past
20 years. Asthma is the #1 chronic
diseaseamongchildren,the#1reason
kidsareabsentfromschooleachyear
andcoststheU.S.economy$18billion
annually. There is currently no cure
forasthma.
Allergies are also among the most
commonchronicdiseasesforchildren
and adults. Food allergies, nasal
allergies,skinallergiesandawidevariety
ofothertypesthreatenthehealthand
wellbeingofmillionsofpeople,which
costs Americans more than $6 billion
each year in medical expenses alone.
Thereisalsonocureforallergies.
Despite these alarming statistics,
the good news is that, today, people
don’t have to be limited by asthma or
allergies.Throughpropermanagement
inpartnershipwiththeirdoctor,people
can live full and active lives. In fact,
manyworldleaders,Olympicmedalists,
professional athletes, movie stars
and many others don’t let asthma or
allergiesgetintheirway.
Leading the fight against these
diseases is AAFA, a national nonprofit
voluntary health agency (VHA). Since
1953 AAFA has been educating
patients,advocatingforpatients’rights
and providing funding for research
tofindcures.EveryyearAAFAreaches
millions of people around the U.S.
through:
•Healtheducationprogramsfor
patients,familiesandhealth
professionals,
•Thousandsofpagesoffree
informationontheirWebsite,
•Anetworkofregionalchapters
andlocalsupportgroups,
•Awarenesscampaignstoinform
peopleaboutthesediseases,and
•Fundingforresearchtofindcures.
Formoreinformation,visit
www.aafa.org.
Your Life Without LimitsThere’s More Hope than Ever for People with Asthma and Allergies
Whenitcomestowelcoming
consumers and patients
whosufferfromalltypesof
allergies,asthmaandfoodintolerances,
Thriveistheeventtoattend,April18-19
at McCormick Place. This is a family
friendlyandpositiveapproachtohelp
peopleaccesseducation,cuttingedge
information,andexpert resourceson
these issues, while at the same time
having fun and trying new things.
Some activities include free asthma
screenings by the American College
of Allergy Asthma and Immunology;
cooking demos with free from and
glutenfreechefJulesShepard;Twinject
will be providing hands-on learning
sessions for their products; perform-
ances by Rock’O, the peanut-sniffing
servicedogsfromAngelServiceDogs;
Sico, the artificial robot from Sciele
Pharmaceuticals;Eucerinisofferingfree
skin cream samples and assessments
foreveryone,giftbasketraffles,aswell
astoygiveawaysforkids;Borderswillbe
providingaspecialselectionofallergy,
asthma and gluten titles; McCormick
Place will offer free-from concession
stands; and of course an incredible
line up of expert speakers, including
theAsthmaandAllergyFoundationof
America, American Lung Association,
MedicAlert Foundation, Children’s
Memorial Hospital, the University of
ChicagoCeliacDiseaseCenterandthe
GlutenIntoleranceGroup,tonamejust
afew.
Q&AWhat is THRIVE Allergy Expo about? Who should attend?
Weknowtheseareseriousissuesand
thereneedstobeanaffordablewayto
accessalloftheseresourcesanddoso
withapositiveandupliftingmessage.
Allagesarewelcomeandencouraged.
Ticketsfortheentireeventare$10per
day or $15 for the weekend pass at
www.thriveallergyexpo.com and your
ticket provides you access to ALL of
theshowactivities. It’s importantthat
we make this affordable for families
and individuals, so all kids 12 and
under accompanied by an adult are
freeofcharge.Pleasegetyour tickets
earlyandprintathometoavoidlines
on show day. Tickets sales may be
limitedbasedonspaceavailability, so
reserveyourticketsnowtoensureyou
andyourfamilydonotmissoutonthis
opportunity.
Use this exclusive promotional code
before April 10th to receive 2 tickets
forthepriceof1.
Promocode:ChicagoThrive.
Is it an Allergy or a Cold?
“...for some asthma improves, disappears for a
year, and even goes into remission.”
By:KIRKVAnHynInG
Alingering cold or persistent
allergy may be bearable and
onlyslightlyirritating.Butleft
untreated, either condition can be-
comemuchmorechronicanddamag-
ing.Despitehavingsimilarsymptoms,
nasalallergiesandcoldshavedifferent
causes,durationsandtreatments.While
coldsresultfromviruses,allergiesare
triggeredbyairborneallergens,suchas
mold,fungi,pollen,dustmites,andpet
dander (particularly from cats). Typi-
cally,coldswillsubsidewithinaweek,
unlike allergies which persist as long
asoneisexposedtoallergens.Earin-
fectionscanresultfromacoldaswell,
butthetreatmentdiffers.Duetoover-
lappingsymptoms,similarapproaches
mayapply.
If cold-like symptoms persist
or worsen, a visit to an allergist or
immunologist is recommended.
According to neil L. Kao, MD at the
Allergic Disease and Asthma Center
in Greenville, S.C., cold and allergies
affectthesameorgans:eyes,ears,nose,
sinuses, and throat. “The signs and
symptomsdefinitelyoverlap,”saysDr.
Kao. Detailed historical information,
physical examinations, and the assis-
tance of diagnostic tests are needed
toaccuratelyunderstandwhatishap-
pening, he adds. Family histories are
another important indicator that the
sneezing, coughing, watery eyes and
other symptoms are due to allergies.
Ifoneparenthasallergicdisease, the
childhasanestimated48%chanceof
havingallergies.Theriskfactorgrows
to70%ifbothparentshaveallergies.
Sinusitis,onecommonailmentthat
can result from both lingering colds
andallergies,shouldbetreatedsoas
not to become chronic and to effect
dailyfunctioning.Dr.Kaoexplainsthat
allergy-relatedsinusitiscanbetreated
withSingulair,a leukotrienemodifier,
or corticosteroid sprays, while cold
inducedviralupperrespiratory infec-
tions are not effectively treated with
the same medications. Either way, a
differential diagnosis and treatment
from a specialist should resolve the
problem.
Once a physician has determined
that your symptoms are caused by
allergens, he will discuss treatment
alternatives such as medication and
immunotherapy (allergy shots). He
may also suggest various techniques
for limiting exposure to airborne
allergens and other environmental
triggers.Tips for preventing allergies,
besidesmaintainingaclean,dust-free
living environment, are to store food
inairtightcontainerstopreventmold,
which can attract bugs, and to brush
pets regularly. Preventing colds can
beaccomplishedbysanitizinghands
regularly, disinfecting surfaces and
limiting the spread of germs when
coughingorsneezing.Whetheryou’ve
gotacoldorallergies,effectiveman-
agementisapartnershipbetweenyou
andyourphysician.
Who should attend?
Over20millionAmericanshave
beendiagnosedwithasthma,
which occurs when the
airways in your bronchial tubes
become inflamed and constricted.
Bronchial walls tighten and your
airways produce excess mucus that
blocksairways.Symptomsrangefrom
mildwheezingtofatalattacks.In2007
asthmatics made 217,000 trips to
emergency departments, missed
40,000 days of work or school, and
3,384ofthemdied.
Andrew Liu, MD, a pediatric im-
munologistatnationalJewishHealth
identifies allergies and a parental
historyofasthmaasthemostpotent
predictorsofasthma.Henotesinfants
with eczema and food allergies are
at risk. By toddler age children show
some immune system susceptibility
totriggersincludingcolds,bedmites,
cats,dogs,andmold.“Byschoolagewe
knowwho’satrisk,”saysDr.Liu.
Laterinchildhoodnewriskpatterns
emerge.“Obese girls age eight to 13
with early onset of puberty are at
risk.Andboys,whoaremoreasthma-
prone than girls before age 11, are
less likely fornewonsetasthmathan
girls,” adds Dr. Liu. Female teenage
asthmatics also have a higher preva-
lenceofautoimmunediseasessuchas
thyroiddisordersand lupus.Then, for
some adolescents asthma improves,
disappears for a year, and even goes
intoremission.
national Institute of Health-
sponsored researchers at multiple
medicalcentersintheU.S.andCanada
are trying to unravel the genetic,
autoimmune, and hormonal factors
that contribute to asthma risk. Dr.
Liu hopes that through this research
biomarkerswillbeidentifiedthatwill
help physicians and their patients
betterunderstandasthma.
Who is at risk for asthma?By:MARLEnEPITURRO,PHD
Asthma Risk Factors At A Glance
The World Health Organization, Mayo Clinic, and Centers for Disease Control cite genetic risks:
· About70%ofasthmaticsalso
haveallergies
· 29%ofchildrenwithafoodallergy
alsohaveasthma
· 40%ofchildrenwithasthmatic
parentsdevelopasthma
· Malechildrenhaveahigher
incidencethangirls;adultwomen
aremorepronetoasthmaandareat
greaterriskofafatalasthmaattack
· Lowbirthweight
· Frequentchildhoodrespiratory
infections
Environmental risks include:
· Exercise-inducedasthma
· Airpollutantsandirritants
· Airborneallergens-pollen,animal
dander,mold,cockroaches,and
dustmites
· Sulfitesandfoodpreservatives
· Coldair
· Smoking,exposuretosecond-
handsmoke
· Strongemotionsandstress
· Medicationsincludingbetablockers,
aspirin,andnon-steroidalanti-
inflammatorydrugs
Multi-factor risks are:
· Obesity
· Population differences-African-
Americans have higher rates of
asthmaandfatalattacksthanother
ethnicgroups;lackofaccesstooptimal
health care and polluted urban
environments may contribute to
theirhigherrisks.Asthmaratesvary
widelyamongdifferentpopulations
regardlessofsocioeconomicorother
factors.Forexample,Latinosinnew
yorkandMainehavehigherasthma
ratesthanLatinosinLosAngelesand
thesouthwest.
Therearesomanymedicationsforrelievingallergy’scongestion,sneezing,anditchingthatsortingthroughtheOTC(over
thecounter)andprescriptionremediesismindboggling.Here’sasummaryofsomepopulardrugsallergysuffererschoose:
Table:Over The Counter Allergy MedicationsCategory Effect Chemical Name Brand Name Form
Diphenhydramine Benadryl-D* Pill
Antihistamine Inhibitshistaminesthattriggerallergies Centrizine Zyretc-D* Pill
Antihistamine Inhibitshistaminesthattriggerallergies Chlorpheneramine Chlor-Trimeton* Pill
Antihistamine Inhibitshistaminesthattriggerallergies Loratadine Claritin-D* Pill
Antihistamine Inhibitshistaminesthattriggerallergies Phenylephrine neo-Synephrine Spray
Antihistamine Relievesscalinganditching Hydrocortisone Cortaid Cream
Antihistamine Reducesswellinganditching naphazoline Visine Drops
Decongestant Relievenasalandsinusswelling Pseudoephedrine** Sudafed Pill
Mastcellstabilizers Preventsreleaseofsymptom-triggeringhistamines Cromolynsodium nasalCrom nasalSpray
*D-denotesantihistamine+decongestant**Pseudoephedrin-thepharmacistwillregisteryousincethisisaningredientinproducingmethamphetamine
Table:Prescription Allergy Medications
Category Effect Chemical Name Brand Name Form
Antihistamine Inhibitshistaminesthattriggerallergies Fexofenadine Allegra-D Pill
Corticosteroids Preventandrelieveseveresymptoms Fluticasone; Flonase; nasalSpray
Triamcinolone nasacort
Corticosteroids Preventandrelieveseveresymptoms Dexamethasone; Decadron; Eyedrops
Prednisone PredForte
Leukotrienemodifiers Blocktheeffectsofinflammatorychemicals Montelukast; Singular;Zyflo Inhaler:Pill
releasedbyimmunesystem Zileuton
Mastcellstabilizers Preventsreleaseofsymptom-triggeringhistamines Cromolynsodium Tilade Inhaler
The 50 million Americans with
allergies and 20 million with
asthma have more to contend
withthanseasonalallergensthattrigger
reactions ranging from annoying to
life-threatening.yearround,theymust
ridtheirhomesofindoorallergensthat
exacerbatetheirconditions.TheAsthma
and Allergy Foundation of America
(AAFA) estimates that between 60
to 80 percent of adults and children
withasthmahaveoneormorepositive
skin tests to environmental allergens
(www.aafa.org). The worst indoor
culprits as measured in home dust
samples by international researchers
are cockroach (87%), mite(79%), and
cat allergens (60%). These allergens,
alone or in combination, can cause
bronchial spasms and asthmatic
symptoms severe enough to require
emergencyroomvisits.
Housedustmiteexposure ismuch
greater in bedding than anywhere
else in the home. A.A.A.A.I’sWorking
GrouponEnvironmentalAllergensand
Asthma,chairedbyPeytonEggleston,
MD, a Baltimore-based pediatric
allergist/immunologistfoundthatthe
mosteffectivemethodtoreducemite
allergenlevelsinbeddingistoinstall
impervious covers over all bedding.
Thegroupadvisedasthmasufferersto
washsheets,pillowcases,blanketsand
mattresspadsattemperaturesof130F
or more at least weekly to kill
environmental allergens that can
trigger reactions.yair Altman, CEO of
Montreal-based SmartSilk, a manu-
facturerofbedding,duvetandpillow
coverings that are ‘asthma friendly’
certified, explains that the products
encasebeddingsothatitisimpervious
andevenrepelsbedmites.“Becauseit
is100percentsilkontheinsideand100
percentcottonoutside,itcanbewashed
and dried weekly as recommended
byphysicians,”saysMr.Altman.
Managing allergies and asthma
involves physicians, patients and
caregiversdevelopingamulti-pronged
strategystartingwithmite,cockroach
andfelineallergenavoidanceathome.
Adherence to such a program takes
diligence, as health care professionals
findonhomevisits.Patientsthinkthey’re
compliantbutduststillaboundsinthe
majorityofpatients’homes.Forexample,
nationalInstituteofHealthresearchers
foundthatwithoutformaleducational
programs, no patients had installed
mattress covers as advised.With one
office-basededucationalsession,17%
of patients installed mattress covers;
repeatsessionsboostedthepercentage
to 27%, and web-based instruction
yielded39%compliance.Theresearchers
foundthateducationaleffortsgot95%
ofpatientstoadheretotheirmedication
regimes,butonly48%tackledindoor
allergensdiligently.Housecleaningmay
be repetitive but it’s essential to
keeping indoor allergens at bay.
Learn more about how to keep your
house asthma & allergy friendly at
www.asthmaandallergyfriendly.com.
THE INSIDE SCOOP: Indoor AllergensBy:MARLEnEPITURRO,PHD
Allergy: OTC or Prescription DrugsBy:MARLEnEPITURRO,PHD
Clinical research has identified
in many allergy sufferers, a
naturalprogressionthatstarts
witheczema inpreschoolyears, then
progressestoallergicrhinitis(hayfever)
during the early school years. By the
endofthefirstdecadeoflifeorsooner,
asthmaoftenappears.Riskfactorsfor
allergy are covered elsewhere in this
edition but what steps can a parent
takewhenenvironmentalcontrolsand
medicationshavefailed?
AllergyImmunotherapy(akaallergy
shots)hasbeenavailableforthetreat-
mentofallergicrhinitisandasthmafor
almost one hundred years. no other
treatment for prevention of allergic
breathing problems has surpassed
theeffectivenessofallergyshots.For
severalyearsallergistshaveobserved
young patients on allergy shots
experiencehealthierlivingwithrespect
totheirasthmaandsinusdisease.
Recentresearchinasthmasuggests
deep seated inflammatory processes
beginearlyonintheallergicasthmatic
child (perhaps within the first three
yearsoflife).Interventionwithsteroidal
inhalantshasimprovedasthmacontrol
but has yielded little evidence for
establishing a sustained remission.
Allergyshotsaregenerallyreservedfor
thoseofschoolageorolder.
Perhaps more aggressive allergy
care, early on, may reduce the risk of
asthma development, or slow the
progressionofairwayinflammation.A
comprehensiveprogramwhichincludes
allergy/asthmaeducation,environmen-
tal controls, medications and allergy
shotsmaygiveonethebestchanceto
haltordelaytheAllergicMarch.
Wantmoredetailsonthistopic?Visit:
www.allergy-asthmacorner.com
James A. Thompson, MD
Joseph Spahn, MD and Medical
Director of Pediatrics at the
Denver-based national Jewish
Healthsaysheandhiscolleaguesonly
benchmarkapatient’sasthmaseverity
once,thefirsttimetheyseethatpatient.
Fromthenon,whetherthepatienthas
intermittent,mild,moderatelypersistent
or severe symptoms, physicians care-
fully monitor medications according
toguidelinesupdatedperiodicallybythe
nationalHeartLungandBloodInstitute
division of the national Institute of
Health(www.nhlbi.nih/gov).Themedi-
cationscriticaltoasthmamanagement
workinavarietyofwaystokeepairways
openandnotinspasm(seesidebar).
“Every persistent asthmatic needs
an inhaled steroid. If symptoms are
not controlled we step up therapy,
adding a LABA or other medications
asneeded,”saysDr.Spahn.Afterafirst
visit,thephysicianfollowsupwiththe
patient six weeks later; if his asthma
symptomsareundercontrolhe’sseen
againinsixmonths.
Inadditiontomedications,physician
andpatientdiscussasthmatriggers.“In
children80%ofattacksaretriggered
by viral infections, the common cold.
We can’t prevent colds but keeping
youngsters on inhaled steroids pro-
tectsthemandreducestheseverityof
attacks,” says Dr. Spahn. Exercise also
triggers asthma; albuterol should be
taken as a preventive. For asthmatics
atalllifestages,allergens,particularly
dustmites,shouldbeavoided.
Measuring severityAllergistsandimmunologiststreating
asthmarelyheavilyonpatients’subjec-
tivereportsofsymptomsinprescribing
medications. Although they also use
peak flow meters and spirometry to
stratifysymptomsbylungfunction:80%
ormoreof function iscategorizedas
mildimpairment,60-80%asmoderate,
and less than 60% lung function as
severe;theyrunariskofmisdiagnos-
ing because of patients’ inaccurate
subjectiveimpressionsoflungfunction.
Dr. Spahn is excited about office-
based systems that measure exhaled
nitric oxide (en0)to help physicians
measureairwayinflammationquickly
and accurately. enO systems detect
traceamountsofnitricoxidemolecules
inonebreath,providingresultsinless
thanaminute,therebyhelpingphysicians
optimizemedicationtherapy.“Because
asthma is not clinically active every
daywe’veneverbeenabletomeasure
airway inflammationeasilyuntilnow.
enO machines, which are affordable,
easy to administer and accurate are
great for clinicians who see patients
everyday,”addsDr.Spahn.
Although asthma’s persistent and
troublesomecoughingandwheezing
can last a lifetime, Dr. Spahn offers
encouragement.“Someasthmaticsgo
into remission in adolescence or as
youngadults.Becausetheirlungsand
airways are bigger they are less con-
stricted than those of little children,”
heconcludes.
Sidebar: Inhaled MedicationsAsthmatics use inhalers to help
control both short and long-term
asthmasymptoms.Popularmedications
include:
· Short-acting bronchodilators-
albuterol(Proair,Proventil,Ventolin)
provideimmediatereliefandareused
before exercising as a precaution
inexercise-inducedasthma
· Long-actingbronchodilators(LABA)-
(Serevent, Foradil)-relieve asthma
symptomsforlongerperiodsoftime
· Corticosteroids-used long term to
preventasthmaattacks(Qvar,Flovent,
Pulmicort,Azmacort,andAerobid)
· Cromolyn-nonsteroidal medication
usedlongtermtopreventinflammation
· Leukotriene receptor antagonist-
(Singulair) block the effects of
inflammatorychemicalsreleasedby
theimmunesystem
· Corticosteroid + LABA-combines a
corticosteroid with a long-acting
bronchodilator(Advair,Symbicort)
Therearesomanymedicationsforrelievingallergy’scongestion,sneezing,anditchingthatsortingthroughtheOTC(over
thecounter)andprescriptionremediesismindboggling.Here’sasummaryofsomepopulardrugsallergysuffererschoose:
Table:Over The Counter Allergy MedicationsCategory Effect Chemical Name Brand Name Form
Diphenhydramine Benadryl-D* Pill
Antihistamine Inhibitshistaminesthattriggerallergies Centrizine Zyretc-D* Pill
Antihistamine Inhibitshistaminesthattriggerallergies Chlorpheneramine Chlor-Trimeton* Pill
Antihistamine Inhibitshistaminesthattriggerallergies Loratadine Claritin-D* Pill
Antihistamine Inhibitshistaminesthattriggerallergies Phenylephrine neo-Synephrine Spray
Antihistamine Relievesscalinganditching Hydrocortisone Cortaid Cream
Antihistamine Reducesswellinganditching naphazoline Visine Drops
Decongestant Relievenasalandsinusswelling Pseudoephedrine** Sudafed Pill
Mastcellstabilizers Preventsreleaseofsymptom-triggeringhistamines Cromolynsodium nasalCrom nasalSpray
*D-denotesantihistamine+decongestant**Pseudoephedrin-thepharmacistwillregisteryousincethisisaningredientinproducingmethamphetamine
Table:Prescription Allergy Medications
Category Effect Chemical Name Brand Name Form
Antihistamine Inhibitshistaminesthattriggerallergies Fexofenadine Allegra-D Pill
Corticosteroids Preventandrelieveseveresymptoms Fluticasone; Flonase; nasalSpray
Triamcinolone nasacort
Corticosteroids Preventandrelieveseveresymptoms Dexamethasone; Decadron; Eyedrops
Prednisone PredForte
Leukotrienemodifiers Blocktheeffectsofinflammatorychemicals Montelukast; Singular;Zyflo Inhaler:Pill
releasedbyimmunesystem Zileuton
Mastcellstabilizers Preventsreleaseofsymptom-triggeringhistamines Cromolynsodium Tilade Inhaler
Treating Asthma SUCCESSFULLY
The Allergic March: Can it be Halted?
By:MARLEnEPITURRO,PHD
2009 Spring Allergy Capitals™
AAFAhasrevealedits2009rankingsfortheSpringAllergyCapitals–themostchallengingplacestolive for people with allergies in the spring.TheAllergy Capitals ranking is an annual researchprojecttocomparecitiesbasedontheimpactofkeyenvironmentalandmedical factors ineachmetroarea.AAFAlooksatpollencounts,medica-tionusageandthenumberofspecialistsineachmetro area to compare cities and compile therankings.Thisyear,thetopfiveSpringAllergy
Capitals are:
1. Louisville,Ky
2. Knoxville,Tn
3. Charlotte,nC
4. Madison,WI
5. Wichita,KS
For complete ranking and methodology, visitwww.AllergyCapitals.com.
Make your home asthma & allergy friendly™ Whenpurchasinghouseholdproductstoreduceindoorallergens, lookforthiscertificationmark.These products have been scientifically testedinindependentlaboratoriesandproventomeetor exceed the stringent standards adopted byAAFA to be deemed more suitable for thosewith asthma and allergic sensitivities. Currentcertified products include plush toys, bedding,vacuum cleaners, washing machines, air filters,flooring and paint. For more information, visitwww.asthmaandallergyfriendly.com.
5 Tips to Control Allergies1. Reduce dust mites. Bare floors and wallsare best. If you must have floor coverings, usethrow rugs that can be washed. Put zipperedencasementsonbedding.Washstuffedtoysandbeddinginhotwaterregularly.
2. Cleantoreduceallergens.UseavacuumwithaHEPAfilter.Wearafacemaskwhilecleaning.Useallergen-trappingcloths fordusting rather thanfeather dusters or wet rags. Look for unscentedlow-odororVOC-freecleaningproducts.
3. Decrease animal dander. People allergic toanimaldandershouldkeeppetsoffoffurnitureandwashpetbeddingfrequently.Banpetsfromthe bedroom and keep the door closed. Coverventswithadensecloth.
4. Prevent pollen entry. Keep windows anddoorsclosed.Airconditioning inwarmweatheris best and also helps control dust mites byreducing humidity. Change filters often inwindowunits.
5. Avoidmoldspores.Dehumidifierswillhelpre-ducemoldinthebathroom,kitchenandbasement.Fix leaks and other causes of dampness. Cleanmoldysurfaceswithableach-basedsolution.
About AAFATheAsthmaandAllergyFoundationofAmerica,anot-for-profitorganizationfoundedin1953, istheleadingpatientorganizationforpeoplewithasthmaandallergies,andtheoldestasthmaandallergypatientgroupintheworld.Formoreinfo,visitwww.aafa.org.