Asthma Patients Have Concerns with Air Cleaners

The Flint Journal First Edition
Sunday, April 02, 2006
By Helen Bas

Air cleaners that work best for allergic or sensitive people may not be best for those with asthma.

Jan Roberts, a registered nurse and certified asthma educator at Hurley Medical Center and the coordinator of the Genesee County Asthma Task Force, said those with asthma should not use an air cleaner that generates ozone.

"That can be an asthma trigger," Roberts said. She added that there are many things that can be done to help reduce allergy and asthma symptoms.

"You spend eight hours a day in your bedroom, so concentrating on that room can help immensely," she said. Encasing mattresses and pillows in zippered allergen-free cases helps, and washing bedding in very hot - 140 degrees or higher - water will kill dust mites, a common allergen.

"If your water isn't that hot, you can also dry them in the dryer for an hour. Or freeze kids' stuffed toys (which should be minimized for an allergic or asthmatic child) for two to eight hours, depending on the size. That kills dust mites too."

Replacing pillows every six months, not using down-filled comforters or pillows and not vacuuming within two hours of bedtime (to avoid roiling up things) also help.

Watching humidity can help too. Dust mites and mold thrive with higher humidity levels, so make sure it's below 40 percent.

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