healthy house institute

4 Free HHI Books:

Creating a Healthy Household, The Healthy House Answer Book, Healthy Home Building, The Healthy House 4th Edition
Your email will only be used as described in our Privacy Policy

Follow us on Twitter

 

Search

Proud Supporter of:

OnlineCourses.com

 

OpenCourseWare

Article

Managing Your Home to Control Asthma

By HUD

Did You Know...?

 

article continues below ↓


We do not strictly control Google ad content. If you believe any Google ad is inappropriate, please email us directly here.

  • Over 20 million people in the United States suffer from asthma?

  • Over 6.3 million children under 18 report having asthma?

  • There were 75% more cases of asthma in 1994 than in 1980?

  • Asthma is the third leading cause of hospitalization in the United States?
What is It?

Asthma is a lung disease. It causes people to wheeze, cough, be short of breath and sometimes even die. People with asthma can suffer from frequent periods of difficulty breathing called “asthma attacks.” During an attack, the airways swell, the muscles around them tighten, and the airways produce thick yellow mucous.

Asthma is not contagious, but it does run in families, so if parents have asthma, their children are more likely to have it, too. Children, particularly those living in urban areas and crowded or unclean conditions are especially at risk for developing asthma. And, "African-American children living in low-income families tend to have more severe asthma and are at greater risk of death," says the Centers for Disease Control.

Each person is different, but many things (called asthma “triggers”) can cause asthma attacks. These can be found both outdoors and indoors and include:
  • Cold weather

  • Pollen

  • Exercise

  • Stress

  • Dust and dust mites

  • Cockroaches

  • Mold

  • Pet dander (skin flakes)

  • Rodents

  • Tobacco smoke

  • Air fresheners
What can you do?

Because there is no cure for asthma, it is most important to work on preventing attacks. There are three major categories of prevention:
Keep a Clean Home
  • Make sure that your home is free of dust, mold, smoke and other potential triggers.

  • Vacuum often—HEPA (High Efficiency Particle Air) filters remove dust best.

  • Keep foods stored in tightly sealed containers to avoid attracting cockroaches and rodents.

  • Clear crumbs, drips, spills and dirty dishes immediately.

  • Identify and quickly fix water leaks in your home.
Isolate
  • Use zippered “allergen resistant” mattress and pillow covers to keep dust mites out of sleeping spaces.

  • Keep pets outdoors or away from sleeping areas; clear hairs from carpets and furniture.

  • Quit smoking, or smoke only outside your home and car. Always keep tobacco smoke away from children.

  • Change bed sheets often.

  • Keep people with asthma out of a room while vacuuming or dusting.

Follow the Doctor’s Instructions

 

  • Get medical attention for breathing problems.

  • Get emergency medical care for bad attacks of shortness of breath or wheezing.

  • Take all prescribed medication, either to prevent attacks or to lessen the symptoms.

  • Find out what allergies you have so you can avoid these potential asthma triggers.

 

 

HHI Error Correction Policy

HHI is committed to accuracy of content and correcting information that is incomplete or inaccurate. With our broad scope of coverage of healthful indoor environments, and desire to rapidly publish info to benefit the community, mistakes are inevitable. HHI has established an error correction policy to welcome corrections or enhancements to our information. Please help us improve the quality of our content by contacting allen@healthyhouseinstitute.com with corrections or suggestions for improvement. Each contact will receive a respectful reply.

The Healthy House Institute (HHI), a for-profit educational LLC, provides the information on HealthyHouseInstitute.com as a free service to the public. The intent is to disseminate accurate, verified and science-based information on creating healthy home environments.

 

While an effort is made to ensure the quality of the content and credibility of sources listed on this site, HHI provides no warranty - expressed or implied - and assumes no legal liability for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, product or process disclosed on or in conjunction with the site. The views and opinions of the authors or originators expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of HHI: its principals, executives, Board members, advisors or affiliates.

Managing Your Home to Control Asthma:  Created on February 17th, 2007.  Last Modified on October 16th, 2009

 

We do not strictly control Google ad content. If you believe any Google ad is inappropriate, please email us directly here.

About HUD

The mission of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all Americans. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.

 

 

Information provided by The Healthy House Institute is designed to support, not to replace the relationship between patient/physician or other qualified healthcare provider.

Education Partners

 

 

Popular Topics: Air Cleaners & Air Purifiers | Allergies & Asthma | Energy Efficiency & Energy Savings | Healthy Homes | Green Building
Green Cleaning | Green Homes | Green Living | Green Remodeling | Indoor Air Quality | Water Filters | Water Quality

© 2006-2024 The Healthy House Institute, LLC.

 

About The Healthy House Institute | Contact HHI | HHI News & Media | Linking Resources | Advertising Info | Privacy Policy | Legal Disclaimer

 

HHI Info