Allergic asthma is one of the most common types of asthma. With approximately 90% of kids who suffer from childhood asthma are usually caused by allergens.
Allergens are specific substances that when inhaled can trigger asthma. It is very important to have knowledge as to what kind of allergens that will trigger an asthma attack.
These are different kinds of allergens:
1. Animals
Animals are the usual carrier of allergens that can cause allergic reactions for children. The carriers of animal allergens are usually the household pets such as dogs and cats.
What will trigger asthma is the protein found on the animal’s urine, saliva, dander, and oil glands found in the skin.
2. Dust Mites
Dust mites are classed as microscopic organism that live in homes as well as in schools. Dust mites grow well in humid conditions and warm areas.
It’s the waste products of the dust mites that will trigger asthma. Their waste products will grow on bedding, carpets, and upholstered furniture.
3. Food
Food allergy is a health condition wherein the body will have an abnormal response to a certain type of food. When a child or a person will have abnormal reaction to food, symptoms such as asthma, and trouble in breathing, vomiting, stomach pains and diarrhea can occur.
Around 90% of food allergies are caused by milk, wheat, eggs, wheat, peanuts, soy, and tree nuts.
4. Insect stings
Insect stings are difficult to avoid but it is important to know how to respond when your child or an adult will have an allergic reaction to a sting. Insects such as bees, hornets, wasps, fire ants, and yellow jackets commonly cause an allergic reaction.
Every child or person will react differently and some might be life threatening. Thus, immediate and proper medical attention should be given.
5. Molds
Mold is a type of fungus that lives on moist conditions wherein there is oxygen and other type of chemicals. Molds can be found either outdoors or indoors. For outdoors, molds may be dwelling on moist areas, rotten leaves or logs, and dead vegetation. For indoors, molds might be living on bathrooms, damp closets and basements, refrigerators, garbage containers, air conditioners, humidifiers, mattresses, house plants and upholstered furniture.
Molds are also found on food such as mushrooms, soy sauce, vinegar, foods that have yeast on them, dried fruits and cheese that has been processed by fungi.
Fragments from molds or mold spores when inhaled by a child or a person through the nose, then down into the lungs can cause asthma.
When allergic asthma occurs, the airways become hypersensitive to the type of allergen that that a person sensitive with. Once the allergen will get into the airways, the immune system will start to react that will lead to the tightening of the muscles around the airways. Then, airways will become inflamed and thick mucus start to flood the area.
Allergic reactions might happen through the following: scratched with an allergen, allergens getting inside your eyes and eat an allergen (can lead to a life-threatening condition called anaphylactic shock).
It is highly recommended to go and ask your doctor to perform a test that will determine what type of allergens that can trigger your asthma.