Avoiding Asthma Triggers
What asthma triggers could be affecting my child?
The first step to managing your child’s asthma is to know what triggers affect them. Triggers are allergens, irritants or other things that cause asthma symptoms.
Your child’s lungs are especially sensitive and are easily irritated by things in the air. Some common triggers, which include both irritants and allergens, are:
- Grass, tree and weed pollens
- Airborne molds
- Dust mites
- Foods or food additives (like preservatives used on salad bars)
- Animals
- Indoor pests such as cockroaches
- Strong odors/perfumes
- Cooking fumes
- Aerosol sprays
- Cigarette smoke
- Wood/fireplace smoke
- Cold air
- Colds or viral infections
- Exercise
- Prolonged laughing or crying
- Reflux disease/heartburn
- Medications
- Fatigue
Be proactive about avoiding asthma triggers
When your child has asthma, it’s important to know that asthma and asthma-related breathing problems are sometimes caused—or worsened—by seasonal triggers. In fact, about 3 million children in the U.S. have a type of asthma that is worsened by allergies. Seasonal triggers are substances that are only around during certain times of the year and can include tree, grass or weed pollens and airborne molds.
There are also times of the year when your child may be more susceptible to viral triggers like cold and flu germs. Some children have difficulty breathing cold air and have more frequent symptoms during the fall and winter months. During these times of the year, it may take a little more effort on your part to help keep your child’s asthma under control.
By identifying and eliminating triggers, you are taking an important step to managing your child’s asthma. But, avoiding triggers is not the complete answer. If your child's airways are already inflamed, they will be more sensitive to airborne allergens and irritants. They will respond to smaller amounts of these substances if their airways are inflamed.