Child Dust Allergies Are Manageable

What Is A Child Dust Allergy?

It is very helpful to understand exactly what a child dust allergy is so that you know how to control your child's dust mite allergy.

First off, child dust allergies are not reactions to the actual dust (as in, not a reaction to fine dirt particles).  Child dust allergies are actually allergic reactions to biological bi-products of tiny microscopic insects that live in dust called dust mites.  Dust mites feed off elements contained in dust--primarily shed human skin cells; what children with child dust allergies are allergic to is the waste products (feces) of the dust mites which mix in with normal household dust as the dust mites feed.  Dust mite feces are a highly allergenic substance for people with a predisposition for allergies, which is part of the reason why child dust allergies are so common. 

The other reason child dust allergies are so common is a simple matter of exposure; the most common allergies are to substances that people are exposed to over and over because allergies are immune responses that build up over time (in most cases—the exception being sudden-onset allergies causing severe reactions).

Where Do Dust Mites Like To Live?

If you know where dust mites like to live, you can take steps to minimize the population in your home, which is essential to ongoing management of child dust allergies.

Dust mites need three things to live: humidity, food, and a home.  The human household is prime real estate for dust mites.  Soft fabrics and fibers are the favorite home of the dust mite—which means your carpets are their favorite community.  Dust mites will also thrive on any soft, dust collecting surface where food becomes trapped, such as upholstered furniture, bedding, and pillows.  Remember that shed human skin cells are the prime banquet for dust mites, which of course are at high levels in home air and in furniture and bedding where people spend much of their time at home.

Dust mites really need warm conditions and high humidity levels (over 50%, preferably 75% humidity or higher).  So in areas where temperatures can be kept cool there is less of a dust mite problem; controlling humidity levels is also a key in reducing dust mite populations.  Cold, dry places can still have dust, but will not be able to support dust mite life and so the dust there is not allergenic to most children with child dust allergies.

Managing Child Dust Allergies In Your Home

Having a home with dust mites, or a child with dust allergies, does not mean you are a bad parent or poor housekeeper.  Dust mites live everywhere, are in every home, and are unavoidable.  But children with child dust allergies do have a certain tolerance threshold, and if you can take steps to keep the amount of dust in your home low, and therefore remove the ideal conditions for dust mites, you can likely keep dust mites at a low enough population so that your child's child dust allergies will not bother them.

Thorough cleaning of the home on a daily basis, and top to bottom cleaning every few months, is the number one way to reduce bothersome child dust allergies.  When you clean and dust, you should always use a damp cloth or dust cleanser or spray.  Anything that can blow dust around, such as fans, heating and cooling units, should be cleaned regularly and always stocked with new, clean filters.  Encasements for child bedding prevents dust mites from infesting mattresses and pillows, and keeps dust mites already living in bedding locked away from the child. (For more on managing dust and dust mites in the home, see our article on the Allergy-Proof Home.)

Allergy-proofing the child's bedroom is the most important step in controlling child dust allergies because children spend half of their day every night sleeping and breathing in that room.  Removing as many soft surfaces as possible (carpet in particular), frequent cleaning of the room, clearing out unnecessary items, and encasing bedding will go far in the maintenance of your child's child dust allergies.  Humidifiers in the child's bedroom and in the home are important during dry weather for promoting healthy breathing, but care should be taken not to let humidity levels rise too high (above 40%); dehumidifiers can control high humidity in moist rooms.

It is also helpful to take a good look around your home and think about what areas are prime dust mite locations.  Remove as many soft, dust gathering surfaces as is practical, replace wall to wall carpeting when possible, and frequently clean both hard and soft surfaces that remain.  There is no arguing that constant management of dust and dust mites involves a good deal of work, but the payoff is worth the effort as you watch your child's child dust allergies come under control.