Tobacco smoke

• If you smoke, ask your doctor for ways to help you quit. Ask family members to quit smoking, too.
• Do not allow smoking in your house, car or around your child.
• Keep your child away from smoke-filled areas.
• Be sure no one smokes at your child's day care center.

Dust mites

• Encase mattresses and pillows in special dust-proof covers.
• Wash sheets, blankets and dust-proof covers in hot water (130°F) weekly.

• Reduce indoor humidity to less than 50 percent.
• Try not to sleep or lie on cloth-covered cushions or furniture.
• Remove carpets from bedrooms and those laid on concrete.
• Keep stuffed toys out of the child's bed or wash them in hot water weekly (130°F).

Animal dander

The best thing to do is keep furred or feathered pets out of your home. If you can't keep pets outdoors, then:

• Keep the pet out of your child's bedroom and keep the door closed.
• Cover the air vents in the child's bedroom with a filter.
• Remove the carpets and furniture covered with cloth from the home. If that is not possible, keep the pet out of the rooms where these are.

Cockroaches

• Keep all food out of bedrooms.
• Keep food and garbage in closed containers (never leave food out).
• Use poison baits, powders, gels or paste (for example, boric acid). You also can use traps.
• If a spray is used to kill roaches, keep your child out of the room until the odor goes away.

Indoor mold

• Fix leaky faucets, pipes and other sources of water.
• Clean moldy surfaces with a cleaner that has bleach in it.

Pollens and outdoor mold

During allergy season, when pollen or mold spore counts are high:

• Try to keep windows closed.
• Keep your child indoors with windows closed during the midday and afternoon. Pollen and some mold spore counts are highest at this time.
• Ask your child's doctor whether you need to give or increase your child's anti-inflammatory medicine before his or her allergy season starts.

Exercise, sports, work, play

• Your child should be able to be active without symptoms. See your child's doctor if your child has asthma symptoms when he or she is active, during exercise, while particiapting in sports, playing or working hard.
• Ask your child's doctor about taking medicine before he or she exercises to prevent symptoms.
• Encourage your child to warm up for about six to 10 minutes before he or she exercises.
• If you child is allergic to pollen, try not to have child work or play hard outside when the air pollution or pollen levels are high.

Colds and flu

Cold air

Cleaning solutions, disinfectants, perfumes and colognes, hairsprays, and deoderants all are strong smelling things that can trigger asthma. 

• Use a minimum amount of these products.
• Use ventilation fans or open windows.

Outdoor air pollution

Any type of smoke can trigger asthma: cigarette, car or factory exhaust, campfires, leaf burning, and even fumes from kitchen stoves.

• Use ventilation fans or open windows.
• Avoid outdoor exercise on bad air quality days.

• Sulfites in foods. Do not let your child drink beer or wine or eat shrimp, dried fruit or processed potatoes if they cause asthma symptoms.
• Other medicines. Tell your child's doctor about all the medicines your child is taking, including cold medicines, aspirin and even eye drops.