ALLERGY TRIGGERS

Red eyes, sneezing, annoying little cough? Are these common in your home? Then read on…

HOUSE DUST MITES House dust mites are microscopic organisms that live in dust, and symptoms of this allergy are similar to those of a pollen allergy but often occur year-round rather than just seasonally.

“The house dust mite is the numberone trigger for the respiratory tract in South Africa,” says Cape Town-based paediatrician Dr Paul Sinclair, who has a special interest in allergies.

House dust mites thrive in warm, humid, coastal climates – which is why there is such a big problem with them in Cape Town and Durban. “You’ll still find them inland, but they’re not present year round like they are in Cape Town,” he says.

Dr Sinclair adds that if your child is allergic to house dust mites, he’ll react to them just from lying in his bed, and you need to do everything you can to ease his discomfort.

“House dust mites hate temperature changes, so if you put your mattresses and pillows out in the sun or your child’s teddy bears in a black bag in the freezer once a week, you’ll kill them.

“Even so, you’re never going to eliminate them. You can diminish your child’s exposure to them, but you can’t eradicate the problem entirely,” he says.

Mop and vacuum your home regularly, put dust mite covers over all of your mattresses, buy hypoallergenic pillows, and get a house dust mite spray.

PET DANDER Cat and dog dander are also a massive problem when it comes to your child’s allergies. And even if you stick to shorthaired dogs, or shave your cat, if your child is allergic to pets, your pet’s dander (the dead skin that has been shed) will act as a trigger.

What people don’t realise, explains Dr Sinclair, is that the allergy trigger actually comes from proteins secreted by oil glands in the animal’s skin, as well as the proteins present in an animal’s saliva – both of which can cause an allergic reaction. Also, he maintains that if your child is exposed to a dog early on in life, he’s less likely to be allergic to it later on in life. However, if he’s exposed to a cat, he’s more likely to become allergic to cats later on in life.

“If your child is allergic to cats, then it’s best not to have one in the house. Even if you had one in the house, it’s going to take you about five years to get your house completely cat dander-free,” he points out.

If you can’t find a new home for your pet, at least keep it out of your child’s bedroom and off upholstered furniture. Wash your pets weekly too.

COCKROACHES Cockroach droppings are yet another trigger. “We’re seeing more and more children becoming allergic to cockroaches. It is, in fact, their faeces (and similarly, the faeces of house dust mites) that’s the trigger,” says Dr Sinclair. “If you suspect that you might have an infestation, it’s imperative that you fumigate regularly.”

Remember, also, to keep your rubbish in closed containers and take it out regularly to avoid infestations.

DAMP AND MOULD Moulds are parasitic microscopic fungi with spores that float in the air like pollen. Moulds can be a common trigger for allergies and are an issue, again, in coastal climates. If there’s mould in your home, your child’s symptoms will persist year-round.

“Mould in Cape Town is certainly a problem. And when people start to build and knock down walls, the mould spores become an issue.

“If you have a damp house, you can try and fix it by looking for areas of water damage or leaks, but the reality is if you live in a damp area – for example, Newlands in Cape Town – you’re going to have a tough time,” says Dr Sinclair.

At best, you need to try and keep your home well ventilated and reduce indoor humidity. Don’t leave fruit and bread lying around since these become rapidly contaminated. Rubbish bins should be emptied and cleaned regularly. Also, check your tiles, plumbing fixtures, shower curtains and bathroom for mould, and wipe down with Jik or Milton should it begin to emerge.

YOU CAN DIMINISH YOUR CHILD’S EXPOSURE TO THEM, BUT YOU CAN’T ERADICATE THE PROBLEM ENTIRELY

Not all children master night time dryness at the same age. It’s just the same as learning any skill, such as walking or talking. Some children are dry before they know how to walk and talk properly, for others, it’s the other way around. It is unadvisable, and indeed impossible, to force a child to be dry at night, says Dr Michael Mol, Brand Ambassador for Drynites Pyjama Pants

BEDWETTING, also known as nocturnal enuresis, is a urinary problem characterised by involuntary urination, occurring intermittently in the sleep of children aged over five. By this age, children should be sufficiently mature enough to be able to control their bladder through the night. It is estimated that more than 18% of children aged five and over still wet the bed, some every night, others less frequently.

Doctors don’t know for sure what causes bedwetting or why it stops. But it’s often a natural part of development, and kids usually grow out of it. It’s most common in young kids, but can last into the teen years. Bedwetting often runs in families: many kids who wet the bed have a relative who did too. If both parents wet the bed when they were young, it’s very likely that their child will.

Bedwetting is an issue that millions of families face every night, and it can be very stressful. Kids can feel embarrassed and guilty about wetting the bed and anxious about spending the night at a friend’s house or at camp. Parents often feel helpless to stop it. It usually goes away by itself, but may last for a while. It can be embarrassing and uncomfortable for your child, so it’s important to provide emotional support until it stops.

Bedwetting is nobody’s fault; it is not linked to the way in which parents have raised their child and more importantly, it is not the child’s fault. Children are not conscious when bedwetting occurs, which means that they are naturally unaware and not in control of their bladders at this time. The best thing a parent can do for a child who experiences bedwetting is to not make a big fuss out of it when it happens and reassure the child that it was just an accident.

You cannot stop your child from wetting the bed. You can however help to manage their bedwetting by making them feel more comfortable. One way to do this is to introduce them to Drynites

® Pyjama Pants. Drynites Pyjama Pants

® have been shown to improve sleep quality, boost confidence and reduce stress (which can be a causational factor in bedwetting), as it makes wetting the bed less of a big deal.