Can Pets, Food Allergies and Emotions Be Considered As Asthma Triggers?

Second only to dust mites as a trigger is pet dander, the fur, hair and accumulated dust that is shed mainly by cats and dogs but also other pets, such as guinea pigs, hamsters and rabbits. Cigarette smoke is another serious inhaled trigger. Passive smoking (breathing in other people's smoke) is particularly harmful to asthmatic children because it gives their respiratory systems an extra burden to cope with. The mould and spores that thrive in damp conditions can also trigger an attack in susceptible individuals.

What about food allergies? If your child has an allergy to a particular food and is asthmatic, part of her allergic reaction may involve asthmatic symptoms. An allergic reaction can be quite dramatic with, for example, a red blotchy rash, vomiting and puffy face. It always happens immediately so you will almost certainly be able to pinpoint the cause.

Food allergies are associated will all atopic conditions already mentioned, although they are a much less common trigger than inhaled irritants. It is best to be guided by your instincts and to seek medical help if you feel it is necessary.

If your child has a viral infection, such as a cold or bronchitis, you may find that a bout of asthma follows close on its heels. This is because the airways, which are already affected by her asthma, are now under attack from the infection as well. Colds in very young children quite often lead to an asthma attack, sometimes through a build up of mucus in the airways.

Just as many physical factors can trigger an asthma attack, so can extremes of feeling, such as stress, overexcitement and sadness. It is now recognized that even young children react to stressful situations, such as parental splits an exam pressures at school, in the same way that adults do. Real stress makes physical demands on the body, blood pressure rises, muscles tense and the breathing rate speeds up.

In the same way, feelings of excitement or fear, or even a long bout of hysterical laughter, all of which make an increased demand on the child's lungs, can make an asthma attack more likely.