Parents of asthma sufferers can't be accused of sloughing
off when it comes to clearing their homes of irritants that affect
the health of their kids. However, a new study found, not all the
steps parents take are the best ones that will help their children
the most. In fact, many of them ignore proven suggestions that work
and use some that are harmful.
Of the 1,800 steps the surveyed parents took, about half actually
work.
Most took steps to control exposure to animals, dust and dust mites.
Generally, parents used special filters on ventilation systems and
vacuum cleaners. But they also did improper things or maintained
bad habits that negated their best intentions:
- Not shutting windows to prevent pollen from spreading inside
the house
- Smoking
- Following advice in commercials about so-called asthma-fighting
products that don't work
So what can parents really do to help their kids? Learning your
child's real environmental triggers, whatever they are, comes
first, one scientist said. Then, parents need to "go to school"
to determine how to get asthma under control. The learning can be
particularly hard, even if it means a parent must stop smoking to
protect his child's health.
That's why experts recommend parents talk to their doctors
before spending a lot of money on preventative measures. In other
words, do the inexpensive things first.
Although education has had some effect, parents who reached out
to their doctors for advice took some kind of action, however it
wasn't always the right option to take. Also, scientists noticed
a discrepancy between what parents recognized as their child's
asthma triggers and what they did in their homes to reduce them.
A few, including the use of a humidifier, were possibly harmful.
EurekAlert
August 17, 2004
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