Look around your house.
Chances are you will see numerous “triggers” that will make life more difficult for someone suffering from allergic asthma.
In Baltimore on Monday, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America will enlist some national star power from The Learning Channel to help people identify the often invisible triggers that make life unbearable for many asthmatics.
“Once you know what your [asthma] triggers are, you can effectively figure out what to change around the house,” said Andrew Dan-Jumbo, superstar carpenter with TLC?s home improvement program “While You Were Out.” Monday he will lend his star power to launch the nationwide Sleep Work Play at Home campaign to ease the suffering of asthmatics from allergic triggers.
Modern, energy-efficient home construction saves money on heating and air conditioning, but houses are more likely to seal in allergies as well. Add a cat or a dog, and common aggravators like dust mites and actual dust can quickly get out of control. Roughly half of the nation?s 20 million asthmatics suffer allergic asthma, meaning specific allergens can trigger an asthmatic attack.
America spends about $14 million each year treating asthmatics in emergency rooms and clinics, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
“All houses in our area have their share of year-round allergens,” said Dr. Jonathan Matz, a private practitioner in Baltimore County and teacher with the Johns Hopkins Institute of Health. “No matter how well you clean your house, you have dust mites.”
The humidity of Baltimore?s climate helps mites and other bugs breed, and more than 50 percent of the county?s homes have enough allergens to warrant assistance from the county health department.
In rowhouses and apartments in the city, he said, an even bigger threat can migrate from a neighbor?s dirty home ? cockroaches.
Though Jumbo doesn?t suffer asthma himself, he knows the pain of allergies.
“I suffer from terrible allergies,” Jumbo said.
In his home in Buffalo, N.Y., tree pollen is exploding at this time of year, leaving him with itchy-watery eyes.
“I?m actually quite happy to get involved” in the campaign. “It?s heartbreaking how debilitating the disease can be,” he said.
Annually asthmatic attacks make people miss about 14 million days of work and school, and 5,000 people die from severe attacks.
Some solutions can be very simple.
Jumbo suggested most people will find their symptoms relieved by simple, inexpensive steps, like washing linens in 130 degree water to kill dust mites, and vacuuming and sealing pillows and mattresses in plastic barriers you can find in many home furnishing stores.
These steps won?t eliminate asthma problems, but can dramatically reduce suffering, said Matz.
“The campaign Web site is an excellent help reducing exposure, particularly in regard to allergic asthma,” he said.
