Tag Archives: asthma

Asthmatic Children Dealing with Heat and Humidity

Well a heat wave is stretching across several states. Here in Wisconsin we are going on day two of high temperatures and humidity. We are looking at the entire week being this way. There is talk of it extending into the next week as well. This can be a real problem for asthmatics. I feel sorry for my 12-year-old son when the weather is like this because he is pretty much confined to the house. I was not happy yesterday when I heard the front door slam and went upstairs to discover he had taken the dog outside for a … Continue reading →

Baby’s Animal Fur Allergies

Bringing a new baby home to a house with pets can be nerve-wracking. One might be concerned with how the pets will react to the child. Even if a pet doesn’t seem jealous of the baby, will it know to be gentle enough around the infant? Will exposing a newborn to a house with pets, and the many allergens they release, cause the child to grow up with sensitivity to that animal? Earlier this year I covered the former concerns in depth. Today I’m going to look at the latter: are children who grow up in a home with pets … Continue reading →

Those Dreaded Allergies

After a year of having severe allergy problems, including a persistent cough, that followed my seasonal allergies and never went away, I finally went to the allergist. There I heard the news that every pet owner dreads: I’m allergic to one of my animals. My exchange with the doctor went something like this: he told me I was allergic to cats. I said that was strange, because although I’d been having problems I currently own a cat and have lived with one at several points in my life. I’d been told I had other severe allergies, so I guessed my … Continue reading →

What Triggers Asthma?

Asthma has come to be an unwanted word in our home. Our youngest was first diagnosed with asthma when he was about a year old. His first asthmatic attack resulted in an emergency room visit. The doctors went through all the possibilities as to why his asthma could have started. The top of their list was allergies, however, at that time they wouldn’t test children that young. Asthma has become one of those things that you just never know when it is going to hit. At one point my son became part of a study at Children’s Hospital of Milwaukee. … Continue reading →

Should You Avoid Peanut Butter If You Are Pregnant?

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It’s an experience no mother wants to go through: your child eats one of the most common foods found in sandwiches and cookies all over the country and suddenly their little body reacts violently with hives, runny nose, or in the worst case, a swollen tongue and airway, which can lead to choking and ultimately, death. A combination of these symptoms in the severest form along with a sudden drop in blood pressure is called anaphylactic shock. How something as common and seemingly mild as peanuts can cause a life threatening allergic reaction in a child is shocking and a … Continue reading →

Natural Allergy Relief

I’m falling apart. That’s the only way I can word it. If I could go back to the perfect age, I’d choose 35. I still felt very healthy, energetic, and knew enough to know better but not enough to worry myself to death. Flash forward into this soon-to-be 45 year old body and mind. The passing years are racking up and taking their toll. No, it’s not all bad. I’m more successful, happier, and more in love than at any other time in my life. I have the energy to exercise nearly every day, which I didn’t have the gumption … Continue reading →

Should I Give My Baby Solids?

Our daughter is approaching the age when solid foods can be introduced. She’s 5 1/2 months old and is exclusively breastfed. I’m going back and forth on when we’re going to start giving her solids. She’s gaining weight fine on breast milk alone (hello, I think weighing 17 pounds at 4 1/2 months probably means she’s getting enough!), and I hesitate to mess with something that is going so well. I know there are people who believe that breast milk alone isn’t enough for a baby once they reach six months of age, but I’ve witnessed cases where babies consumed … Continue reading →

Managing Asthma in Cold Weather

Trying to exercise in cold weather (that includes shoveling snow!) can trigger problems if you suffer from asthma. Experts believe that the cold, dry air of winter can irritate airways, causing the bronchial tubes to narrow. This can restrict airflow into your lungs! Adding exercise to the mix — your body’s breathing patterns change when you’re working out — can put even more strain on your lungs. For a person without asthma, exercise in cold weather may not be an issue. But for a person with asthma, you could be looking at an asthma attack. You may experience coughing (especially … Continue reading →

Protecting Your Home’s Air – Part 2

Yesterday, I talked about how to detect carbon monoxide and radon in your home. I also touched on the point that you shouldn’t let anyone smoke in your home to keep the air quality at its best. After all, on average, we spend more time indoors than out. After you take care of the harmful gases, what else can you do to improve the air quality inside your home? Ventilating the home is very important. Open your windows whenever possible and if you have exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom, use them. Even if you have pollutants in the … Continue reading →

Healthy Halloween: Food Allergies

Halloween can be full of tricks (rather than treats) if you’re living with a food allergy. If the allergy is new, what once was a safe favorite may now be off-limits. That can be really discouraging! Here are some tips to help keep a food allergy from ruining your holiday. Know your triggers. If you’ve got a food allergy, you’re probably used to checking ingredients labels. Make sure you learn the different names your allergy trigger may appear under, so you don’t end up sick from something you thought was safe! Do your research. Know beforehand what’s safe and what … Continue reading →