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Atopic Eczema and House Dust Mite Sensitivity

House dust mites occur in all homes all over the world except at high altitudes.
They are tiny mites present in house dust and they live on human skin scales which are most commonly found in mattresses and bedding. They are also present on carpets, curtains, soft toys and all upholstered furniture. Under normal circumstances, house dust mites are completely harmless and many of us would be totally unaware of their presence.

However, many children with atopic eczema become sensitive to house dust mite and this can cause more scratching and skin damage. In the case of asthma and rhinitis, house dust mites can irritate the nasal passages and cause coughing, wheezing, sneezing and runny eyes.

It is not possible to remove all house dust mites. Research is still trying to determine to what extent reducing house dust mite levels in your home will improve your child's atopic eczema but the evidence so far suggests that simple measures to reduce house dust mite levels are worth a try. You can reduce your child's exposure to it by following these measures:

1 Remove feather pillows and quilts and replace with synthetic ones such as Dunlopillo, Dacron or Terylene.

2 Cover the mattress with a plastic cover. This can then be wiped down with a damp cloth weekly. A simple plastic cover is just as effective as the most expensive purpose made ones.

3 Use cotton sheets, pillow cases and quilt covers wherever possible. Turn down the sheets every day to let the mattress air. Change them weekly (or more often if desired). Wash them at 50oC or above. Please do not forget curtains, preferably cotton, so they can be washed more frequently.

4 Vinyl flooring, plain floorboards or cork tiles are easier to clean and can be wiped with a damp cloth. Most houses, however, have carpets in their bedrooms. If it is not practical to remove these, they must be thoroughly vacuumed, daily if possible, along with the head board, mattress, base or divan. Keep your child out of the room when cleaning is in progress.

5 Damp dusting keeps the levels of house dust mites down. Wipe with a damp cloth, the mattress cover, window sills, skirting boards and any other surfaces which might collect dust.

6 Stuffed toys - all children have a favourite toy or comforter which they take to bed and love a lot

Advice

1 Wash in washing machine frequently.
2 Do not have too many toys gathering dust in the room.
3 If you are unable to wash the toy, put it inside a plastic bag and put it into the freezer over night. The cold temperature will kill off the house dust mites. If at all possible, allow the child to have a room of his or her own - if this is not possible, please treat the other beds in the room the same way. If you have bunk beds, try and let the child who is sensitive to dust sleep on the top bunk.

Remember

House dust mites like warm, damp conditions. Try to keep the room temperature cooler by turning off heating and keeping a window open in the daytime.

Holidays

If you are going on holiday, try to apply the same measures i.e. in rented houses, caravans etc. It may be advisable to take your child's own bed linen and pillow.

© Professor Hywel C Williams, Sister Sandra Lawton Staff Nurse Sue Newham Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, 1995