5 Simple Steps To Creating An Allergy Friendly Home
By Emily Clark, Thu Dec 8th

It will seem horribly unfair to any child who suffers withallergies that they cannot have a pet or must loose one whomthey have grown attached to. Is there a way to deal with petallergies which may lessen or even eliminate the suffering foradults and children with allergies?

WHAT ARE YOU ALLERGIC TO?

By establishing whether the animal is actually the cause of anallergy is certainly the best starting point. However, that canbe a difficult task if you already have an animal since theallergens are extremely difficult to remove entirely.

If an existing pet can be removed and the home thoroughlycleaned (carpets, walls, furniture etc.) you MAY be able toverify the in several months. Obviously that is not theeasiest solution.

Having the child stay with a friend or relative for a week (aslong as there are no pets in the home) may show an improvementthat might indicate an to the family pet.

A visit to the doctor can confirm an with a simple test.The tests vary, but some can be mildly uncomfortable and wouldprobably not be considered if the symptoms were mild.

Some symptoms are compounded by exposure to severalallergens. By identifying other sources and removing them youmay find the reaction to pets is lessened and not a barrier toenjoying their presence.

CREATING AN FRIENDLY HOME

There are several steps you can take to reduce the build up ofallergens and bring relief to sufferers.

The first recommendation is to have hardwood or other smoothsurface for your flooring. Carpets hold far more of theparticles that cause allergies and hard flooring makes it easyto clean.

Leather

furniture is also ideal for homes with pet allergies.For the same reason as hard flooring is more suitable thancarpet, leather holds far less allergens than fabric.

Keep a seat for the sufferer that pets are not allowedto sit on. Also be certain that animals do not sleep on the bedsor enter the bedrooms of sufferers. Consider keeping thesleeping area of the home as a pet-free zone.

MAKING YOUR PET AS HYPO-ALLERGENIC AS POSSIBLE

There are even things you can do with your pet to reduce theallergic effects of having them in your home.

Frequent grooming and bathing with a mild soap to prevent overdrying will reduce the dander that is one of the main causes ofpet allergies. It would be recommended that someone withoutallergies take on this task.

Washing hands after playing with a pet and avoiding touchingyour face with unwashed hands will also help. Since someindividuals are also allergic to the saliva of pets it would besensible to not allow your pet to lick you.

In the case of more serious allergies or asthma it may be bestthat no pet share the home. For older children or adults it maybe possible to find a medication or treatment which makes thesituation tolerable if they prefer to keep the pet despite theallergy. The information contained in this article is foreducational purposes only and is not intended to medicallydiagnose, treat or cure any disease. Consult a health carepractitioner before beginning any health care program.

About the author:Emily Clark is editor at Lifestyle HealthNews and Medical HealthNews where you can find the most up-to-date advice andinformation on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.