Why Dust Mites Are Such a Problem

Have you ever wondered why dust mites can cause so many issues? Well the first problem with dust mites is that they are so small you can barley see them, so you may not even know you have them, and they are everywhere. You may only know that your child is having more frequent asthma attacks but not know why. One thing is that most of the dust in your house is made up of shed human skin. The food, that dust mites like the best.

They consume skin and other minute particles of organic matter as a way of life, and the do it very well. Like many decomposer animals, they select food that has been pre-decomposed by fungi. Fungus and mold can also be a problem for your child with asthma. The dust mites have a simple gut; they have no stomach but rather diverticulae, which are sacs or pouches that divert out of hollow organs. These pouches are filled with enzymes that are used to digest the organic material.

A mated female house dust mite can live for about seventy days and can lay from sixty to one hundred eggs in the last five weeks of her live. In that span of ten weeks, the dust mites can product approximately two thousand fecal particle pouches or sacs and an even larger number of partially digested enzyme covered dust particles. It is the enzymes that are attached to the dust particles that cause the problems for children with asthma. When the child jumping on the bed disturbs the dust particles. The dust flies into the air where the enzyme covered particles can be inhaled. The enzymes are what your child is allergic to. The enzymes get into the airways and can irritate them causing them to constrict.

You can see just how quickly mites can develop into a very big problem for children with asthma. There are several things you can do to combat dust mites. One thing you can do is cover the bed of your child with plastic or other dust mite free material. These types of covers can be found at your local furniture store or at a home improvement outlet. Next you will want to wash all of the bedding in hot water, at least one hundred forty degrees or hotter. that is the temperature that is required to kill the dust mites and there eggs. When you dry the bedding, it also needs to on the hottest setting. With the combination of the two procedures you can kill the dust mites in the bedding.

If the child has any stuffed animals they also need to be made dust mite free. You can do one of three things with the toys. The first thing you can do is wash them like you did with the bedding. The second thing to do is find a plastic bag that will fit the toy, wrap it up air tight and place it in the freezer for a least twenty four hours. This will also kill the dust mites and their eggs. The third thing is just plane and simply get rid of all plush stuffed animals. Not having them around is the best way to insure that they will not be a problem for your child with asthma.