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The house dust mite is an allergen associated with asthma. Anti-allergy mattress covers are available to protect against dust mites. But do they work? Many parents of children with asthma want to look for ways to minimise their reliance on medications. And they're often told that one of the factors causing the wheezing is a little insect that lives in carpets, bedding, soft furnishings and on curtains. It's called the house dust mite, or mite allergen. Some families go to extraordinary lengths to eliminate the house dust mite, such as ripping up carpets and covering mattresses. But does it work? Dutch researchers have done a trial of anti-allergy covers for mattresses, pillows, and continental quilts (doonas). The people taking part were adults and children with moderate to severe asthma, who'd already taken up or were prepared to take up the carpets in their bedroom. The results showed a dramatic reduction in exposure to house dust mites. But the bad news was that it didn't make any difference to their asthma. The only change in symptoms was that they had less rhinitis – problems like a runny, blocked nose. The message is that house dust mite reduction at night may not help if you have established asthma. But it may be worth trying for your nose, or a child whose asthma is still mild.
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