Holiday survival tips for asthma and allergy sufferers

People with asthma and allergies must avoid symptom triggers as much as possible, but this can be difficult during the Holidays, which often involve numerous visits to other people’s homes.

The following are some tips to help you stay on top of your symptoms.

When travelling:

• Make sure you have enough medication for your whole stay away from home, and bring a list of all your medication.
• If you have food allergies, always carry at least two epinephrine auto-injectors with you, especially if you’ll be staying in an area far from emergency services (e.g. at the cottage).
• If you’re allergic to dust mites, it may be worth it to bring your own pillow and even a mattress cover, especially for longer stays. Some hotels have special rooms for persons with allergies, so enquire with the staff if you are planning a hotel stay.
• If you have animal allergies and are going to visit people with pets, bring some antihistamines. If you plan to sleep there, make sure the pets are kept out of the room where you’ll be sleeping. If you have severe allergies, it may be best for you to sleep elsewhere.

At home:

• Your decoration may be dusty when you take them out of storage, so you should wipe them down or vacuum them (e.g. artificial trees and wreaths). When putting them away for another year, store them in airtight containers to prevent the accumulation of dust.