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[M325]Mattress Cover Dust Mites

by Ben Anton, Ben

There's nothing more frightening for new parents than the thought that their child may be sick. While most parents do well keeping their child away from common cold and flu germs, not everyone takes into account the affect household allergens may have on a newborn. Common respiratory symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, coughing and difficulty breathing are often examples of allergic rhinitis, or respiratory allergies, and are caused by a simple factor in the child's environment. Dust mites, pet dander, mold, pollen ?young children can develop allergies to a number of everyday things. Luckily, removing allergens and thus preventing or reducing allergic reactions can be a very easy process. The most important part of the process, though, is knowing what you're up against.

It is important to understand what respiratory allergens are if you expect to protect your child from them. An allergy is an immune reaction to an irritable substance in the child's environment. The child's body views these irritants as dangerous and releases chemicals, such as histamines, that cause uncomfortable and potentially harmful symptoms. While a child may eventually develop immunity to these irritants, untreated or ignored allergic symptoms can lead to such respiratory problems as asthma and emphysema.

The most common allergens are dust mites, animal dander and molds. Dust mites are microscopic organisms that live in carpets and fabrics and feed on dead flakes of human and animal skin. Children can develop respiratory allergies from inhaling accumulated mites in areas that aren't cleaned properly or regularly. Bedding, clothing and comforters should be washed in hot water at least once a week. For additional protection, cribs and beds should be covered with an impermeable mattress encasement. These covers act as a barrier between your baby and allergy-causing dust mites. It is also important to vacuum and dust weekly; a vacuum cleaner with a high efficiency particulate arresting (HEPA) filter helps trap particles normal dusting and vacuuming can miss. It is also important to clean or replace heating ducts, furnace and air conditioning filters whenever they're in use.

Stuffed animals and plush toys can also be a haven for dust mites. Make sure you wash your child's favorite plush toys as often as you would his or her bedding and clothing.

Pet dander is another common household allergen. Unfortunately, the only sure-fire way to protect your child from dander is to give the animal away. This can often be a very difficult and heartbreaking decision, but if your child's allergic reaction is severe it may be the only option. If your child has only a mild allergy you might consider simply keeping the animal well-groomed, shampooed, off furniture and out of the child's room.

Mold is a versatile and particularly irksome allergen. Molds can grow in closets, attics, cellars, planters, refrigerators, showers, garbage cans, mattresses, carpets ?just about any warm, moist area in the house. Mold allergies are caused by the spores the mold uses to reproduce. These spores can cause significant health problems. The best way to prevent mold growth is to keep the air in troublesome areas of your home dry. A dehumidifier can help keep air dry in the winter, while a good air conditioner can achieve the same effect in the summer. Keeping high-risk areas clean is also important?use mold-inhibiting disinfectants such as bleach or tea tree oil and water.

Of course, any respiratory symptoms should be checked by your child's physician. Most doctors won't prescribe allergy medication to newborns, especially children younger than six months, but they may have treatment options that better fit your child's specific allergy problem.

It's fairly easy to determine whether your child is going to have a tendency to be allergic. Allergic tendencies are inherited, though specific allergies are not. If either you or your mate is allergic to cats, for instance, your child will have a fifty percent chance of developing some sort of allergy as well, though not necessarily to cats. Allergies also take a while to develop. Newborns may not show symptoms of allergic reactions for a few months; then, suddenly, the child's exposure level to mites, mold or dander will reach its threshold and the child will start to develop symptoms.

Newborn allergies can be a scary experience for parents, especially if you are unprepared for them. The best way to help treat allergies is to prevent them before your child is even home from the hospital. Thoroughly clean and disinfect any areas the newborn will occupy, invest in proper ventilation and vacuum symptoms, and keep clothes and bedding washed regularly and protected with impermeable covers. Taking care of a newborn can bring about a number of unforeseen obstacles, but with proper preparation, common household allergens don't need to be one of them.

~Ben Anton, 2008

Anyone suffering from rhinitis allergica, or bronchial asthma, knows that common household dust can be a very serious problem. What asthma sufferers might not realize is that dust mites are a huge contributing factor to their attacks. Dust mites are extremely common in most households (close to 100,000 mites can live in a single square yard of carpet!) and produce waste that can act as an allergen to those with allergy sensitivities. It's nearly impossible to make your home dust mite-free; however, there are a few steps you can take to help reduce the mite population in your home and lower your chances of experiencing an allergic reaction.

Dust Mites 101

It's important to know just what dust mites are and how they encourage common bronchial asthma symptoms. Dust mites are microscopic bugs that feed on the dead skin cells shed by humans and pets on a daily basis. Since the average human sheds off close to 10 grams of dead skin a week, beds, couches, and carpets are perfect places for dust mites to get more than enough to eat. Mites prefer moist, warm environments and are invisible to the naked eye. While the actual mite is generally harmless to most humans, the cast skins and fecal matter produced by dust mites can lead to allergic reactions that include not only asthma but eczema, hay fever, sneezing, watery eyes, and other common allergy symptoms.

Dust mites are one of the most common microscopic organisms that exist in homes. And since they thrive on dead skin cells, they are most common in beds and mattresses. Beds are where one-third of all dust mite populations live. A single mattress can be home to anywhere from 100,000 to 10 million mites, and mites and their droppings make up ten percent of the weight of a pillow that is only two years old. Adult females can lay up to 80 eggs and the cycle from birth to adult mite is only about one month. Adult mites live roughly one to three months. Dust mites not only will feed off of dead skin cells but also food crumbs, fish flakes, pet food, cereals, and many other nutrient-rich products.

Some people feel the need to test for mites microscopically by collecting fiber samples from mattresses, couches, and carpets, but this practice is unnecessary and costly. There is always an abundant food supply for mites, even in homes that are kept impeccably clean. Instead of worrying about whether or not your home is infested with dust mites (the answer: yes!), it is better to concentrate on ways to control the mite population already present.

Controlling Dust Mites

The best way to control a dust mite infestation is to use plastic or other dust mite-impervious covers on mattresses and couches. Beds are where people are closest to mites and their feces, making them not only a breeding ground for mites but also the place where most allergies begin or are exacerbated. Placing a mite-impermeable mattress cover or fitted sheet on your bed will help prevent the accumulation of human and animal skin cells on the surface of the bed, effectively removing the mites' food source and eliminating the majority of the population in a short period of time.

Another great way to control mite population is to regularly wash bedding in hot (no less than 130 degrees F) water or freeze bedding and pillows for 24 to 48 hours. Using fabrics with synthetic fibers is another effective means of mite population control. Wool blankets and down pillows have much higher mite counts than nylon sheets or pillows with synthetic fillings. Even something as simple as leaving your bed unmade each morning will help. This allows the sheets to cool and dry out, making the atmosphere unpleasant for mites. Sunlight also kills mites, as will frequent damp dusting, vacuuming, and lowering levels of humidity in the home. Children's toys can be breeding grounds for dust mites, too. Freezing plush toys for at least 24 hours is a simple and effective way of keeping them dust mite free.

Yes, dust mites are horribly common, filthy organisms. They can irritate already existing skin and bronchial allergies or, over time, create entirely new ones. Luckily, by simply investing in mattress covers, keeping the home cool and dry, and regularly washing and cleaning problem areas, dust mite populations can be easily reduced and their harmful effects all but eliminated.

~Ben Anton, 2008

Article Source : For New Born Babies

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