Risk of Asthma is increased by Household Allergies
Saturday, November 17th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
Allergic reactions usually develop in early childhood. Typically, children first become allergic to foods such as milk and egg. In the second and third years of life, they begin to develop allergic reactions to indoor allergens and also to outdoor allergens, such as grass, tree and ragweed pollens. The reason why some individuals develop nasal symptoms whereas others develop asthma or skin diseases are not very well understood. Some people can develop an allergic reaction to indoor allergens and yet not have any clinical symptoms (they are asymptomatic). But many children and adults who develop asthma are more likely to have asthma if they make allergic reactions to indoor allergens.Having the allergic reaction is a risk factor for asthma in the same way that high levels of cholesterol increase the risk of heart disease and smoking increases the risk of getting lung cancer. The risks of developing asthma if you are exposed to indoor allergens are comparable to these well known risk factors for other diseases. Therefore, it is important to try to reduce allergen levels in the home. First, to prevent people becoming allergic and, second, to reduce the symptoms of people who are already sensitive to the allergen.
