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How Can I Avoid Holiday Allergy And Asthma Triggers?

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By DENNIS LEDFORD, M.D. Tribune correspondent

Published: December 15, 2007

The holiday season can be especially challenging for people with allergies or asthma. The whirlwind of festivities with friends and family makes avoidance of symptom triggers more difficult. Examples of potential exposures that can aggravate asthma or allergies this time of year include:

•Homemade meals with dishes provided by a variety of cooks unaware of food allergy concerns.

•Live Christmas trees potentially laden with mold and dusty decorations.

•Visits to relatives or friends for overnight stays, with increased exposure to environmental asthma triggers such as pet dander, mold, dust mites or second-hand smoke.

•Cold weather and time spent indoors with coughing and sneezing holiday shoppers or travelers, a combination that can increase the risk of respiratory infections.

What To Do

Here are some tips to help you avoid serious allergic reactions and increased respiratory problems during the holiday season:

•While real Christmas trees alone may not trigger an attack, the microscopic mold spores or pollen left on them could cause symptoms to flare. Shaking down, rinsing or wiping off your evergreen to remove outdoor allergens before setting it up inside may help.

•Before you drag your holiday lights and ornaments out of storage, give them a good dusting to help remove potential allergens.

•Smoke from fireplaces and candles may cause respiratory irritation, but improved ventilation may help.

•Notify all people preparing or ordering food of significant food allergies so that these foods may be avoided. Potential life-threatening food allergens include tree nuts (for example, pecans and walnuts) in salads, deserts, sweet potatoes or dressing; peanuts in candy or cookies; shellfish in dressing; sesame and poppy seeds in breads and cookies; and fish in some traditional holiday dishes.

•Discuss holiday travel plans with your physician. Ideally, obtain a professional recommendation of a physician available at your destination. Ask relatives and friends or check Web sites, such as the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology at www.aaaai.org.

•Be sure you have a sufficient supply of medications before traveling. Refills may not be available when you are out of state. Take your medication list with you, and check to make sure all items are packed.

•Get a flu vaccine weeks before travel, since exposure to influenza is more likely in large groups.

•A written action plan for asthma will outline the steps to take if symptoms increase. Physician offices often have irregular schedules during the holidays, so be sure you know what to do if your physician is unavailable and symptoms worsen.

•If a pet known to trigger symptoms is in your host's home, it may be best to stay at a hotel.

•Advise family and friends in advance of any respiratory problems aggravated by second-hand cigarette smoke.

•Take any appropriate records with you when you travel, particularly peak flow or lung function information. This will be useful if increased asthma symptoms are managed by a physician less familiar with your medical history.

With planning, the holidays should be a time of joy and celebration - not time spent in the emergency department or doctor's office.

Dennis Ledford is a professor of medicine and pediatrics in the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at USF Health and the James A. Haley VA Medical Center.

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