iPhone v.s Blackberry – One may actually cause an allergic reaction

This is one feature you didn't consider in your android vs. Blackberry vs. iphone debate.

“Approximately one-third of all Blackberries contain nickel...,” said allergist Tania Mucci, M.D., lead author of a new study. "Neither cobalt nor nickel was detected in iPhones or Droids."

Both metals can cause an allergic reaction including dry, itchy patches along the cheek bones, jaw line and ears.

Blackberry die-hards with known metal allergies are advised to avoid prolonged conversations, text messaging and handling their phones if they begin noticing symptoms.

Nickel is actually one of the most common contact allergens, affecting 17 percent of women and 3 percent of men.

News worse for flip phones

If you're still holing on to your old flip phone the news is worse. Roughly 91 percent contained nickel and 52 percent tested positive for cobalt.

Symptoms of nickel and cobalt allergies can include redness, swelling, itching, eczema, blistering, skin lesions and occasional scarring. For sufferers that are glued to their phones, the allergists suggest plastic phone cases, wireless ear pieces and clear film screens to decrease allergic reactions.

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Do you suffer from seasonal allergies? Experts agree that reducing exposure is the quickest route to allergy relief. Consider a indoor air purifier for allergies with HEPA and carbon filtration. A good quality air cleaner can reduce airborne allergens by 99.97% (particles 0.3 microns and larger) and reduce airborne chemicals, gasses, and odors for cleaner indoor air.

Photo: freedigitalphotos.net

Protect children from toxic house dust

Young children can be affected by toxic house dust.

It’s not only airborne chemicals and gases in the home that pose a risk to children’s health.

Dust, a common occurrence in indoor environments, can also carry exposure risks.

That’s because a lot of pollutants can attach themselves to tiny dust particles, and when the dust is disturbed and becomes airborne, it too becomes a respiratory hazard.

Studies show that house dust can contain chemical pollutants such as flame retardants, metals like lead, mercury and poisons like pesticides. Even bacteria and viruses can attach themselves to dust particles and pose exposure risks.

People can track chemicals and dust in from the outside, but they can also be generated by activities that are going on inside, or from the wear-and-tear of common household products.

Children are most at risk because their bodies are still developing and they eat more, drink more and breathe more in proportion to their body size. Young children are also closer to the floor and tend to crawl, touch, chew and explore things by putting them into their mouths.

For these reasons, house dust should not be allowed to accumulate in a home with children or pets, and some experts say it should be treated as an environmental health risk.

Here are some pointers to minimize exposure:

1. Clean regularly. You don’t have to overdo it, but setting up a regular cleaning schedule and keeping to it will help avoid the accumulation of dust and particles in the home. Adjust the cleaning schedule for the number of people living under the roof, pets, weather conditions and other factors.
2. Clean with moisture. The best way to avoid disturbing existing dust is to vacuum with a HEPA vacuum cleaner and use a wet cloth and mop. You don’t need harsh chemicals in the water, a bit of white vinegar or a few drops of soap will be enough.
3. Store toys in closed containers and avoid a lot of knickknacks and clutter in the house.
4. Take your shoes off at the door and clean the door mats frequently – separately from your other laundry.

More information: www.healthyenvironmentforkids.ca

Filter out airborne dust and particles

AllerAir's AirMedic Series: Powerful
particle and dust controllers.

AllerAir has developed portable air purifiers for superior particle control, while also featuring a deep-bed carbon filter for the removal of chemicals, gases and odors.

The AirMedic Series and AirMedic+ Series filter out particles with a 360-degree air intake, the best in HEPA filtration (to remove 99.97% of particles at 0.3 microns) as well as ProDense pre-filters that tackle larger particles and dust.

These air purifiers also feature many pounds of activated carbon to adsorb a wide range of odors, gases, chemicals, VOCs and more.

Use the Air Quality Sizing Guide as well as the Model Selection Guide to figure out the best unit for your home, or contact AllerAir for more information.

A is for Asthma: Preparing Your Asthmatic Child for Back to School

Photo by Photostock

For parents of an asthmatic child, back to school doesn’t only mean a return to class it also means gearing up for a new season of meds, colds and potential hospital visits.

“Since my son’s first year at preschool we’ve made at least one hospital visit in September or early October,” says Stephanie Bristow, an Air Quality Expert with AllerAir. “At home we have all of our triggers under control and great tools to help us like a HEPA and carbon air purifier, but school brings on a whole new onslaught of viruses and pollutants that we can't control as effectively.”

To help prepare your family for back to school, consider adding these “to-do” items to your back-to-school checklist:

Schedule a doctor’s appointment to update or create an asthma action plan for your child

All students should have a detailed, written action plan. It should contain personal information about the child's asthma symptoms, triggers, medications, any physical activity limitations and provide very specific instructions about what the school (or you) should do if an asthma attack does not improve with prescribed medication. Make sure a copy of this plan is provided to your child’s teacher, school nurse and is added to his/her personal file.

Update your emergency contact list with the front office

Ensure that your child's school knows how to contact you in case of an emergency. Make sure that your home phone, cell phone, email address and the information for your secondary contacts is correct.

Know exactly how the school will handle an asthma emergency

Find out what your school’s policy is on dealing with asthma episodes. Ask how often the school nurse is on site and if staff, after-school coaches and bus drivers know what to do to respond to an asthma emergency.

Check your equipment and medication

Many schools require that younger children leave a set of their equipment and meds (aero chamber, rescue inhaler etc.) at school. Make sure to check expiry dates of these meds and double check to make sure items like aero chambers still property fit your child’s face. Some experts also recommend replacing chambers regularly as a film can actually build up on the inside of the tube and affect proper delivery of the medication.

Talk to your child about what to do

Especially with younger children, make sure they know exactly what to do if they feel like they’re having trouble breathing. Who should they go to first? Is it ok to interrupt their teachers? Can they administer their own meds? Leave class? Call you? Answering these questions in advance will help your child act promptly if they feel an attack coming on.

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If you'd like to learn more about our air purifiers for allergies and asthma connect with us! Our air cleaners remove more airborne triggers than simple HEPA air cleaners. By adding an activated carbon filter - our units also remove chemicals, gases and odors.
 
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