Exposure to dust mites poses significant health risks for children, potentially triggering severe allergic reactions and asthma. New Delhi: Exposure to dust mites in children can trigger severe allergic reactions, leading to conditions such as asthma and allergic rhinitis, warned an expert on Saturday. Dust mites -- microscopic creatures found in household dust -- are a leading cause of allergies worldwide.
These are so tiny, slightly bigger than human hair diameter, to be visible to the unassisted eye. In India, high humidity levels increase their growth and also a rapid surge in clinical manifestations, Dr Neeraj Gupta, Senior Allergy Specialist from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, told IANS. Asthma affects around 35 million people in India, with an estimated 2.
4 per cent of adults and 4-20 per cent of children affected. Nearly 22 per cent of adolescents currently suffer from allergic rhinitis in India. Gupta explained that the hallmark signs of dust mite allergies include sneezing, which is frequent and severe, often accompanied by a runny or stuffy nose; persistent blockage of the nasal passages, leading to difficulty in breathing, particularly at night; a chronic dry cough that is more pronounced in the early mornings and at night; intermittent episodes of breathlessness, especially during physical activity, coupled with a wheezing sound while breathing.
The allergens from dust mites, particularly their droppings and decomposed body parts, can trigger inflammation in the .