Partnerships for Environmental Public Health (PEPH)
Controlling Allergens in Your Home
December 18, 2014Expert: Elizabeth Matsui, M.D
The term "allergies" often conjures up images of flowers and tree pollen, but many of the allergens we encounter are actually inside our homes and other buildings. Chronic exposure to indoor allergens can exacerbate health conditions such as asthma, especially among children. In this podcast, we take a look at some common indoor allergens and offer tips on improving the air quality in your home.
Experts
Elizabeth Matsui, M.D., is associate professor of pediatrics, epidemiology, and environmental health sciences at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. She is a practicing pediatrician with subspecialty training in pediatric allergy and immunology. In addition to seeing patients with a variety of allergic problems, including asthma, hay fever, food allergies, and eczema, she has built a research program that focuses on examining the impact of allergen exposure on allergic disease. She receives NIEHS funding for her work on indoor allergens and asthma.
For More Information
NIEHS Asthma Webpage
Learn more about asthma and find out what NIEHS is doing to support asthma research. Find more information about asthma and its environmental triggers in our Asthma Factsheet.
NIEHS Mold Webpage
Read about the most common types of mold and learn what NIEHS is doing to advance research on the health effects of mold. Find more mold basics in our Mold Factsheet.
Research at NIEHS: Environmental Cardiopulmonary Disease Group
Learn about the clinical research NIEHS researchers are conducting to investigate how indoor allergens affect asthma and other allergic diseases.
Information About Indoor Air
A compilation of links from NIH National Library of Medicine to government and non-government websites covering specific environmental, biological, and chemical agents that affect indoor air quality.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
Find basic information about allergies and asthma and download a tip sheet on how to avoid the most common indoor allergens. Kids can find videos, tips, recipes, and games just for them from "Mr. Nose-it-All".
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America: Allergy Overview
Find allergy facts and figures at this website from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
CDC Asthma Webpage
Read about the most common asthma triggers and learn how to control asthma symptoms at this website from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Find more in-depth information in the CDC’s printable asthma brochure.
EPA Asthma Webpage
Find basic information and learn about the latest research to inform how families, schools, and healthcare providers can help reduce asthma triggers in the environment.
American Lung Association Asthma Webpage
Learn more about asthma and how to reduce environmental asthma triggers in your home in this tip sheet from the American Lung Association.
Environmental Management of Pediatric Asthma (for healthcare providers)
In this report from the National Environmental Education Foundation, find out how healthcare providers can help manage asthma in children by controlling environmental asthma triggers.
EPA/NIEHS Centers for Children’s Environmental Health & Disease Prevention Research
At the Children’s Centers websites of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and NIEHS, find webinars, multimedia resources, and more information about children’s susceptibility to pollutants and other environmental factors.
We want your feedback!
Send comments, questions, and suggestions for future podcast topics to podcast@niehs.nih.gov .
to Top