Roaches and asthma

Did you know that having a roach infestation can alleviate the symptoms of anyone with asthma in your home, and cause many other allergic reactions? When you spot one scurrying around, it only means that there are hundred other roaches hiding in their nests in various parts of the house which include along floor boards, under sinks, behind kitchen appliances and in between cracks and crevices.

So how exactly are roaches related to asthma? You should now that different parts of their bodies cause allergies. These include their saliva, urine, and faeces. When they succumb to death and the bodies not swept away, they turn to dust which keeps causing allergic reactions in your household.

If you do not have asthma, these excretions can cause your allergies to flare up. You may start coughing, wheezing, and having endless sinus infections and stuffy noses. It’s those with asthma that are hit pretty bad, especially young children; their attacks might start increasing making it very hard for them to breath occasionally and lead normal lives. We recommend always having an inhaler close by in case of a sudden asthma attack.

Imagine moving into an old apartment building or a new home that has not been thoroughly cleaned. Chances are, there is decomposed roach dust all over and anyone in your family is now at risk. However, because most roaches thrive in areas with clutter and food that they need for survival, the kitchen will always have the largest concentration of these allergens, with the bedrooms following closely. There are the two areas you should ensure are always clean to avoid the risk of infection.

How to prevent roach induced asthma attacks

To begin with, it’s vital that you ensure that your home, car or apartment is always clean. Clear off all the clutter and take out any greasy stains that may attract roaches. These creatures mainly survive on food and water, hence cutting off these sources will starve them to death. If you are fond of eating from your car, for instance, it is about time you stopped or created a habit of cleaning up when you are done.

We also advise on keeping all your foods sealed in airtight bags and containers to prevent the risk of contamination. This is because roaches are always crawling about and may end up leaving their droppings in your food.

If you have allergies and you are having a hard time dealing with the roach infestation, maybe it is time you contacted professionals to create a treatment plan for you.

Alternatively, you can try using either commercial products or homemade roach killers to eliminate them completely from your home. Since you may already have asthmatic people around, go for products that are gentle and have low toxic levels. Sprays may not work best in this kind of situation. Gel baits, glue traps or DIY options such as baking soda and sugar solutions will come in handy. You will also be surprised at how effective Diatomaceous Earth (food grade) is when killing cockroaches.

In conclusion, it is safe to say that having roaches in your home can aggravate asthma symptoms as well as allergic reactions. The only way you can keep this from happening is ensuring that your living space is always clean and using effective roach killers to eliminate those that have already set up shop in your home.

Babies and asthma; how to deal with an asthmatic child

Did you know that asthma is the most common chronic disease that affects children? The worst part is that it becomes very hard to diagnose this disease in babies below the age of two years.

So what is asthma exactly? This is an inflammatory disease that mostly affects the airways and the lungs. An asthmatic child will have difficulties in breathing because the airways are irritated and swollen. We all want to protect our babies from all harm, but can we keep them from contracting this chronic disease?

Here is the deal. If there is a history of asthma in your family, your baby might also be at risk. Studies have shown that a large number of children with asthma developed symptoms before they attained five years old.

Symptoms you can look out for include wheezing, frequent coughing, allergic reactions, and eczema. Some of these symptoms may occur due to other various respiratory diseases so we recommend seeing a doctor who will be in a better position to examine your baby and make an approper diagnosis.

To establish that what your baby is experiencing is an asthma attack, you will notice their nostrils flaring, the skin around the ribs sucked in as they breathe, wheezing, coughing or breathing rapidly. If you do not have an inhaler with you, it’s important that you rush them to an emergency room immediately.

However, we advise on having inhalers on hand to be able to provide a quick relief in case of an attack.

What do allergies have to do with it?

If you have an asthmatic child, you should know that any exposure to allergens such as cockroaches, dust, mites, animal dander or pollens might alleviate the symptoms.

Having a roach infested house especially triggers asthmatic symptoms because of their saliva and droppings that act as allergens. You should always keep a clean house that is free of clutter, excess moisture and dirt so that you can keep such pests at bay.

Additionally, there are other possible asthma triggers that you should look out for. These are air pollutants such as tobacco smoke, cold air and viral infections like the common cold.

Prevention

Experts will quickly point out that there is no given way to prevent asthma from your child. However, there are a few tips we can give that might ensure that you have a healthy baby all the way.

• Breastfeeding your baby or feeding them with hypoallergenic baby formulas for around 6 months to build a strong immune system
• Reducing the exposure to allergens mentioned and air pollutants such as tobacco smoke
• Take precaution during pregnancy; avoid smoking and alcohol
• Proper feeding techniques for your baby to maintain an optimal weight; there might be a possible link between obesity and asthma.

Treatment

If you have an asthmatic baby, they need proper treatment to ensure that the symptoms are managed at an early stage.

You should contact your pediatrician to develop a proper treatment plan that will help you prevent and deal with possible asthma attacks.

Asthma might turn fatal if left untreated for long periods of time. If you notice some of the above symptoms mentioned in your baby, an attack, or severe allergic reactions, please seek immediate professional help.