Home Improvement Expert to Help Allergic Asthma Sufferers Reduce Allergens at Home

Home Improvement Expert to Help Allergic Asthma Sufferers Reduce Allergens at Home

Andrew Dan-Jumbo From TLC's While You Were Out Brings His Expertise to the Sleep Work Play(TM) at Home Campaign

NEW YORK, Feb. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Andrew Dan-Jumbo, home improvement expert on TLC's While You Were Out, launched a campaign today with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) to help people rid their homes of common allergens that can trigger asthma attacks.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060228/LATU019)

Asthma is one of the country's most common and costly illnesses in the U.S., and nearly half of all American households include at least one sufferer. The prevalence of asthma has increased significantly since the 1980s and is currently estimated to afflict about 20 million people. What is not well-known is that half of this group suffers from allergic asthma, the most common form of the disease.

For people with allergic asthma, their own homes can become hazardous to their health. Common household allergens such as dust mites, mold, and pet dander can trigger asthma symptoms that can interfere with the most routine aspects of life, like sleep, work, and play. Severe attacks can result in emergency room visits. Annually, at least two million emergency room visits in the U.S. are due to asthma and, tragically, an estimated 5,000 Americans die from asthma attacks. Being aware of the allergens that trigger attacks can potentially save someone's life.

"I've lived with allergies, so I know how the symptoms can disrupt your sleep, work and play," Dan-Jumbo said. "Even the cleanest of houses can become breeding grounds for mold and dust mites and for people with allergic asthma they can provoke an asthma attack and may even lead to a trip to the emergency room. But there are steps you can take to prevent this, and I am excited to team up with AAFA to help educate the millions of Americans who live with allergic asthma."

One lucky person can also win a personal "at home" consultation with Dan-Jumbo and a $500 gift certificate for supplies to reduce allergic asthma triggers in the home. Contestants must submit a personal essay on the campaign's Web site, sleepworkplay.com. Submissions will be evaluated, and a winner will be selected by an independent panel assembled by AAFA. Full rules and regulations can be found on www.sleepworkplay.com.

Educational tips on reducing allergens in the home are also available on the Web site. A room-by-room guide provides information on how to find and remove allergic asthma triggers. Making these simple changes, which don't cost a bundle, to your home environment can make a big difference.

For example, dust mites find their way into furniture as easily as they do into beds: they shed, lay eggs in upholstery, and leave droppings that can trigger allergic asthma symptoms. Mold, also can grow on upholstered furniture, as well as on curtains and drapes. A good way to reduce allergens in the living room is to use washable slip covers and cushions, and wash them in 130-degree water once per week. Use blinds and other easy-to-clean window treatments or wash and dry curtains once per month. Also be sure to keep pets off the furniture as they have pet dander and can carry in pollen from the outdoors.

Sleepworkplay.com will offer a video of Dan-Jumbo demonstrating some tactics for reducing allergens at home. In addition, the Web site provides people with the Sleep Work Play(TM) questionnaire to assess the real impact asthma has on their daily lives, and how to use this information to better communicate with their doctors.

Dan-Jumbo, the national spokesman for the educational campaign, said it was important for people who continue having symptoms -- despite measures taken to reduce allergen exposure -- to speak with a doctor about treatment options.

Dr. Beth Corn of Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Chief of the Asthma-Allergy Clinic and Co-Director of the Asthma Center, said that because people spend more time in the bedroom than any other room of the house, it is especially important that they reduce allergen levels there. "While reducing allergens in a patient's environment is important, it is equally important for patients to talk with their doctors about their asthma and seek the best treatment possible. There have been major advancements in the treatment of allergic asthma in recent years. People no longer have to compromise their lives to accommodate their disease."

About Allergic Asthma

Allergic asthma is triggered by exposure to allergens such as mold, dust mites, and pollen. Year-round, the home can be an unexpected source of allergic asthma triggers for asthma sufferers. Aside from knowing the triggers, it is important that allergic asthma sufferers understand the role of an antibody called immunoglobulin E, or IgE, which is a key component of the allergic cascade that triggers asthma symptoms. Many asthma therapies generally treat the symptoms of asthma, not the underlying cause of the disease.

However, recent advances in understanding the role of IgE have led to alternative approaches in asthma management that are intended to target the underlying cause of the disease.

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1953, is the leading patient organization for people with asthma and allergies. It provides practical information, community-based services, and support, through a national network of chapters and support groups. AAFA develops health education, organizes state and national advocacy efforts, and funds research to find better treatments and cures.

For more than 50 years, AAFA has been a leader in fiscal responsibility and charity management. AAFA is a member of the most respected nonprofit industry groups, and subscribes to the highest ethical standards.

Sleep Work Play at Home is supported by Genentech, Inc. and Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060228/LATU019
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN3
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

CONTACT: Mike Tringale of Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America,
+1-202-466-7643, ext. 272

Web site: http://www.sleepworkplay.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information about Sleep Work Play at Home, please visit www.sleepworkplay.com. To arrange interviews with Andrew Dan-Jumbo or other representatives of the Sleep Work Play at Home campaign, please contact Christina Summers at 212.229.8411.

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