My Life as an Asthma Mom

(Division of Environmental Quality Utah) I live in a very different area, I live inside a "bowl" and am surrounded by mountains. Now that fall and winter are on their way, we are starting to get dirty air that gets trapped in the valley by the mountains. So, how do you know if air pollution is affecting your asthma or not? There is a great resource on the Utah Department of Health's Asthma Program website. They have a short article and a video that explains air pollution and how it can affect you (the video is pretty entertaining-it's not one of those videos that goes over your head) The website says that "high levels of air pollution directly affect people with asthma and other types of lung or heart disease. The particulate matter in an inversion acts as an abrasive substance that can cause damage to the lung tissue and aggravate asthma symptoms." Hubby has been complaining about how hazy the air looks, so I thought I better check out the air quality on th...

  This is what the cat looks like that has adopted our yard. I'm sure it's only a coincidence that we happen to have a bird feed hanging from our pergola in the back yard. And that the cat just happens to choose to sit in that exact spot under the bird feeder. It also jumps up on our front windowsill to get a better look at the ivy growing on the outside of our house. And what do you know? The ivy happens to have a bird nest in it too! My daughter has decided to call the cat Ninja, because he (or she) is so sneaky. We also are trying to communicate with Ninja by meowing. I'm not sure what we're saying. Sometimes Ninja will run out of our yard like we're crazy freaks. Other times, it will look at us and say, "meow?" The thing Hubby and Son #2 and daughter Kitty can't seem to resist is petting Ninja. We all have allergies, and everyone except for Hubby has asthma. But Ninja looks up at Hubby with those big green eyes, and Hubby is a goner. He can't h...

    I just read an article in Better Homes and Gardens about dogs and allergies. The article said that even so called "allergy-friendly" dogs can still cause their owners to sneeze and wheeze. They said that certain dogs are known as "hypoallergenic" such as poodles, bichon frise and Maltese. However, when they took dust samples from homes with those dogs, they didn't find lower levels of allergens in the home. So, what does that mean?    Do you need to get rid of Fido or Spot? They suggest grooming your dog outdoors so the dander doesn't spread through the house. Also, wash your hands after petting your dog. And the hardest of all things? Keep your pet out of your bedroom. As hard as it is to resist those big brown eyes and that furry little body cuddled up next to you in bed, you may need to. If you are sneezing and wheezing , talk to your doctor. If over the counter allergy medicine doesn't work, allergy shots are always an option. You have to be dedi...

(Close To Home Calendar) I love my Close to Home Calendar, it's a little like the Far Side comics. And let's just say I have a goofy sense of humor that enjoys that type of comedy. But, this is how our family feels. Since Hubby and I and all 3 of our kids are allergic to just about everything, pets are a no-no in our house. If any of you have cats, you know that cat hair gets EVERYWHERE. We had problems with cats when Son #2 was in second grade. He kept having asthma attacks at school, and it took a while to figure out what was causing it. We couldn't figure out what was triggering his asthma attacks, but came to the conclusion that other students in the class had cats, and they would come to school with cat dander on their clothes-causing Son #2 to have asthma attacks. That's when we started allegy shots (immunotherapy) to help de-sensitive Son #2. To learn more about it, click here. They did seem to help with his sneezing and wheezing, but of course he still has the...

  This story caught my eye yesterday. Scented candles and air freshners are something I try to avoid because of my allergies and asthma (not to mention my 3 kid's allergies and asthma-and Hubby's allergies) What a bunch of genetic defects we are! This article talks about an announcement from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. At their annual conference this week, they said that candles and air freshners can cause allergy symptoms, make existing allergies worse and make asthma worse. To read the story, click here . Sure, these make our house smell good (I live in a historic home which doesn't always smell so "fresh and new") but I have always avoided any type of air freshners. Asthma Doc has always told me NOT to use them. So, what's the big deal with using air freshners? In the article, it talks about all of the toxic things that come along with the "fresh scent" of candles and air freshners. There are all sorts of chemicals in t...

Well, it just dawned on my yesterday that since I am hosting Thanksgiving this year, I should probably buy a turkey and other groceries and make food assignments. (I didn't realize how close Thanksgiving is!) It will be a small gathering this year, probably about 10 people. I'm going to ask Talented Sister In Law to bring pies, she makes delicious coconut cream, banana cream, pumpkin and pecan flavors. Which means we will have to be careful with the pecan pie. Since Son #2 is allergic to tree nuts, I am a little nervous about the pecan pie and cross contamination with the other flavors. His favorite flavor is pumpkin pie, so I will make sure he gets served first-before someone uses the pie server on the pecan pie, then uses it to pull out a piece of pumpkin pie. It seems like we can never relax when it comes to eating. I have to always watch for tree nuts, they seem to be in most ice creams and desserts. So, I have to inspect everything we eat and ask questions. Don't be af...

    Asthma continues to surprise me. I just got off the phone with my brother who asked if I saw the article linking asthma and acetaminophen (Tylenol.) I hadn't seen it yet. As much as I try to keep on top of anything related to asthma, it's almost impossible. The journal Pediatrics reports that acetaminophen may make asthma worse. Although they can't prove that acetaminophen causes asthma, they do say that it is associated with an increased risk of developing asthma. If you are interested in reading an article on msnbc.com, click here. If you want to read about the original research study listed in Pediatrics (which isn't exactly 'light' reading) click here. However, this is contrary to Webmd claims, that Tylenol is safe for asthma because some people with asthma can have an asthma attack from asprin or ibuprofen (Advil) and they can sometimes be fatal. To read the article on webmd, click here. So, now what? There seems to be conflicting evidence here. The ...

      Some people spray a spritz of their perfume in the air, and then walk through it.    Some people spray their perfume directly onto their wrists, neck and whole body. Then they go to the movie theater and all of us sitting there have to smell their stinky strong perfume.    It can also cause asthma attacks. Which happened to me for the first time Saturday night. Hubby and I decided to go out and see the new Three Musketeers Movie, and just before the movie started, a college aged girl sat down a few seats away from me. I didn't notice anything at first, then thought "that is a really stinky and strong perfume!" It was just annoying at first, then I sneeezed. Then I coughed. And coughed. And coughed. It took me a minute to realize that I was having an asthma attack! Perfume has never bothered my asthma before. I know what my usual triggers are (cold temperatures, dust, cats, etc) so I am careful around those triggers. But I have never had a reactio...

  I read an interesting article today about chocolate milk in schools.    Yes, I know it has sugar in it and it isn't the healthiest thing for school lunch. But my kids don't drink plain milk. In fact, Son #2 was allergic to cow's milk when he was younger, but has out grown that allergy. In the article, there was someone from a health and fitness institute who recommended replacing cow's milk with soy or almond milk. Woah!  Surely that person knows that in addition to cow's milk, soy and almond are among the top 8 foods that cause allergic reactions and anaphylaxis. Click here for information about common food allergens.  People can outgrow milk allergies, but almond (or any tree nut allergy) is usually a life long allergy. Click here to read the article about the chocolate milk debate. In a study from the American Academy of Pediatrics Clinical Report Managment of Food Allergies in School Settings they state that "Fatalities were noted to be over represent...

  One of the best things you can do for yourself and your family if you have asthma is make a few changes in your apartment or home. I have written about this in the past, but it is so important, I need to repeat it. After many of the ideas, I have a "click here" listed. That will take you to the entry when I wrote about that subject before. Many of these ideas come from my Asthma Doc, others I have found figured out as a designer. Remove your shoes when you enter your home. Why? Click here Vacuum twice a week with a HEPA filtered vacuum. For more, Click here Don't store anything under the bed. Really? Find out more, Click here Wash bedding once a week in hot water Don't keep stuffed animals on the bed. Why not? Click here Replace horizontal blinds with roller shades in the bedroom. For explanation, Click here Keep pets outside or at least out of the bedroom The problem with asthma is that you can take all the asthma medication you want, but if you don't get do...