Dealing with House Dust Mite Allergies

This struck a chord with is straight away as L often had a blocked nose and was sneezy, so we decided to take him to the doctors and see if he was suffering from Sleep Apnoea.  The doctor was fairly sure that it wasn’t that but that it was probably more likely to be allergies.

Since then, L has been taking antihistamine daily and also had a nasal spray for a while and it made a huge difference.  His breathing was much clearer generally and finally, he started to sleep through which was a huge benefit to us and him.

However, I wasn’t keen on him taking medication indefinitely so I asked if he could be tested and a few months later, we went for tests. It was a really straightforward pin prick test and he was tested for four of the main allergens and he had an almost immediate reaction to house dust mites.

This made complete sense as of course house dust mites are everywhere, even in the cleanest of houses.  So what are house dust mites? They are tiny little creatures that are only about a quarter of a millimetre in size and they live off human skin scales (yes I know it makes me itch just thinking about it).  They thrive in humid conditions and are found all over the house in bedding, carpets, soft toys, furnishings and clothes.  If you are allergic to them, it is actually their droppings that cause the allergic reaction rather than the mite themselves. Like most allergies it can affect people in different ways but it can cause sneezing and a constant itchy, runny nose as it does with L or breathing difficulties or itchy skin.

It is impossible to completely eliminate house dust mites, but there are ways to try and keep them to a minimum.  This is how I deal with them and I have definitely seen a difference since following these guidelines.

1. Due to the length of time spent in bed, this is where most exposure occurs, so bedding needs to be changed and washed regularly and ideally at 60 degrees in order to kill the house dust mites.

2.  Invest in allergy bedding or covers that reduce the amount of allergens that you or your children are exposed to.  We were kindly sent a pair of Silentnight Anti-Allergy pillows by The Bedding Company and using pillows like this really help L have a settled night’s sleep.

3.  If at all possible, remove carpets from rooms where you spend the most time, again especially in the bedroom.  This is a tough one and one that we are planning to do when we can.  If you are able to have concrete or wooden floors, there are less places for the house dust mites to lurk.  If that is impossible, invest in a steam cleaner and try and steam clean the carpets and soft furnishings regularly.

4.  In the bedrooms, use a damp cloth to wipe down all of the surfaces around the bed including to tops of curtain rails, cupboards, window sills and skirting boards.

5.  Invest in a good hoover that has a high filtration system such as a HEPA filter which can pick up even the smallest particles.  We recently invested in the VAX Air3 and we have been really impressed at the difference that it has made; the pick up is incredible and by vacuuming regularly, we have seen an improvement with L’s nose problems.

6.  Unfortunately, soft toys are a real hiding place for these mites and they really should be washed as regularly and at the same temperature as the bedding.  If you don’t think that they would survive a hot wash, pop them in a plastic bag and into the freezer overnight and then wash them at a lower temperature.

It has become an ongoing battle and one that we are slowly starting to win.  L is still on antihistamine and still has some issues with his nose, but he sleeps really well and there has been a big improvement.  It sounds like a lot of work trying to deal with the house dust mites and to begin with, it did feel like it, but now it is part of our routine and it is worth it if it means that L is healthier.  My aim is to take out the carpets and put wooden floor in his bedroom and take the curtains away and replace them with blinds as I think that by reducing the soft furnishings, we may eventually be able to take him off the medicine for good.