Q & A

Allergy to house dust mites typically occurs in childhood and does not disappear by itself.  As children with allergies to house dust mites are at greater risk of developing other allergies or asthma, it is therefore important to get the allergy under control.

Some children may find that the symptoms subside during the daytime or during the summer period. This is because they are in a place without dust mite allergens and are not affected. The House dust mites thrive primarily in warm, humid environments, including in bed, and that the symptoms are therefore amplified in the evening, night and morning hours, as well as in the cold season, when The mites are searching indoors in our homes and the humidity is high.

The house dust mite allergy does not go away on its own, but it can processed. While symptom-relieving allergy medication can keep symptoms at bay, allergy vaccination can treat cause of the allergy and provide long-term effect.

Children may experience different symptoms of house dust mite allergy such as stuffy or runny nose, coughing, sneezing, breathing problems, itchy and watery eyes, and worsening of childhood eczema (atopic dermatitis).

Symptoms of house dust mite allergy can be confusingly reminiscent of a cold, but unlike viral infections, the symptoms do not go away.

The discomfort will typically be most pronounced at night or in the morning, which means that children with allergies to house dust mites may feel tired and unwell as a result of a bad night's sleep

House dust mite allergy is sometimes referred to as allergy. However, this term is misleading, as it is not the dust itself that causes the allergy, but rather dust mites.

House dust mites live in textiles, especially around the bed environment, where they multiply at lightning speed and leave body parts and excrement that make up the substances that house dust mite allergy sufferers react to.

Be aware that children with sensitive mucous membranes can react to dust even if they are not allergic to dust mites

If your child has cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, runny nose, sneezing and coughing – that don't go away after a week or two – these could be signs of a house dust mite allergy. Unlike seasonal or situational allergies such as pollen allergy and pet allergy, house dust mite allergy causes symptoms throughout the year.

Does your child experience persistent symptoms, and are they particularly pronounced in the winter months and in the evening, night and morning hours?

Then it may be time to talk to the doctor, who can examine your child and make a diagnosis.

No, house dust mite allergy can cause the same symptoms.  The difference is that the symptoms do not only appear in season, but is there all year round. 

House dust mites do not bite or sting, and with their microscopic size, they cannot be felt on the skin. However, if your child has an allergy to house dust mites, they may experience common symptoms such as itching in the nose and eyes.

House dust mites also have the ability to penetrate injured skin and affect the immune system. Thus, the allergy can also aggravate childhood eczema (atopic dermatitis), which manifests itself as itching and dry skin with redness. Like house dust mite allergy, childhood eczema is typically also most bothersome at night and during the winter months.

A child with an allergy to house dust mites typically experiences symptoms in the upper respiratory tract in the form of a runny or stuffy nose and sneezing attacks. Symptoms such as a stuffy nose can initially result in the child breathing through the mouth, allowing allergens and other particles free passage to enter the lungs where they can be bothersome. In this way, house dust mite allergy – like other forms of hay fever – can spread to the lower respiratory tract.

30 percent of people with hay fever also have asthma symptoms such as coughing, difficulty breathing, wheezing, tightness in the chest, etc.

Since house dust mite allergy can affect the lungs and develop into allergic asthma, it is important that the child is examined by a doctor who can make a diagnosis and help to get the allergy under control.

Children with allergies to house dust mites can be bothered by the allergy all year round. However, some will find that the symptoms worsen during the winter months, when the humidity is high and when the children typically spend more time indoors.

The symptoms will often be most prominent during the time the child spends in bed, when the concentration of dust mites is greatest. Thus, the child may be bothered by symptoms that disturb the night's sleep and result in fatigue the next day, but activities such as playing, pillow fighting and cleaning up can also contribute to the allergens from the house dust mites being swirled around and causing symptoms

Yes, some do, while others keep it for life, but an untreated house dust mite allergy can also develop into a much more severe asthma

No, they are found in both clean and dirty homes. It is not a issues of cleaning, but factors such as humidity and access to the house dust mites' preferred food sources (dead human skin cells) that are essential for their well-being.

However, there is good evidence that there are fewer aller-gens in textiles in rooms that are cleaned frequently than in
rooms that are not cleaned as often.

It is advisable that bedrooms are vacuumed once a week and also wipe the horizontal surfaces with a damp cloth once a week.

That is not possible. House dust mites cannot bite as theirprimary food source is dead skin cells, not blood.
The child also cannot feel that they crawl on the skin, as they are microscopic small.
If you suspect a bite, you should check if the child is instead been bitten by a bed bug (Bed Bug).

No. House dust mites can be found in many different places  in your home, including in carpets, curtains, teddy bears,  fabric furniture and clothing.

If you have pets such as dogs or cats, there is also a possibili- ty that the mite lives in their sleeping basket. It is a good idea to wash the pet's blankets along with the bedding.

The exposure in the neonatal period seems to play a particularly important role. People born in the fall have an approximately 50% increased risk of developing house dust mite allergy.

You might think a dehumidifier helps. But they are often expensive to buy, very noisy and expensive to run. And if you just plug it in, it's like trying to empty the Atlantic Ocean with a spoon.

Be smart, not poor!

We have a law of nature that says that if cool air is heated, the humidity decreases!

So if you live in a place where the outside temperature in autumn, winter or spring drops below 15°C, you can lower the humidity in your house simply by airing out. (At 21⁰C inside temperature)

Option 1. If you don't already have them, get fresh air vents (non-electric) in all living areas and bedrooms. Available for walls, doors and windows. Combine this with an electric fan in the bathroom and a good cooker hood, and make it a habit to leave all doors open.

Combine with ventilation, 3 times a day for 10 minutes with open doors and windows, so you create a draught.

The result: Your home will be able to breathe, which creates a good indoor climate with low humidity and thus fewer house dust mites.

Option 2: If option 1 is not possible, you should ensure ventilation at least 3 times a day for 10 minutes with the doors and windows open to create a draught.

The result: The indoor air is replaced, but the short time does not cool down the walls and ceilings, so it does not cost on the heating bill.

Option 3: This also means that it is not possible to naturally lower the humidity in areas and seasons with outdoor temperatures of more than 15⁰C.

Result: The only way to avoid house dust mite allergens is to use an allergenic cover.

Yes, a lot. House dust mites live in the upper 5-7 cm part of the mattress, and most studies suggest that the use of a mattress pad can lower the number of mites by up to 40%.

No, they are so small (0.3 mm) that you need a magnifying glass to see them. If you see mites without magnification, they may be a different kind of animal! For example, bed bugs.

House dust mites eat molds, fungi, dead mites, bacteria, pollen, or just about anything organic, but their favorite food is moldy old, discarded skin scales.

Over 6-8 years old for allergy sufferers. However, if the mattress has not been in humid conditions or has been provided with allergen-proof covers, it may not be a home for dust mites.

To turn hard-to-digest food into a light meal, the mite places active digestive enzymes in its dry excrement. These enzymes remain in the excrement until they meet a moist surface. If the moist surface happens to be delicate human tissue like the mucous membrane of the nose, the enzyme will also start working there.

This action can result in allergies, immune responses, or illness.

Yes, children are recognized as the most vulnerable group suffering from house dust mite-related allergic diseases. Not only because they spend more time in bed sleeping (the mites' favorite home), but because they are often unable to identify allergy symptoms - and as little ones they also cannot understand the need for solutions.

Yes, if they are not disturbed. With the presence of moisture and plenty of food, mites will multiply on top of all covers. It is important to vacuum and wash the covers regularly at 60°C to prevent this.

No, it is not possible! House dust mites cannot bite and they do not drink blood, but enzymes in their excrement can damage or kill delicate cells and cause a breach of the cell defences – for example, in eczema children.

Maybe the bite is caused by another insect, such as a bed bug?

House dust mites can cause allergic rhinitis (hay fever), asthma, eczema and other related diseases. 

They have also been linked to conjunctivitis, limear, urticaria, dermatitis, anaphylaxis, hypersensitive pneumonia, angioedema, extrinsic allergic alveolitis, allergic headaches and migraine headaches, as well as certain intestinal disorders in which Ige is involved. 

Allergy testing is always recommended to confirm a clinical diagnosis of health problems caused by mite exposure.

There are several dust mite test kits on the market. 

Unfortunately, we find that none of them are particularly trustworthy, as they show too many false-positive or false-negative results.

Instead, think as many Danish allergists do, and just assume, 

that you have dust mites, because they are everywhere.

A prick test is a method of introducing a small amount of allergen in the body to measure the strength of any allergic reaction. 

The time of reactions can start 5 minutes after the test and peak about 30 minutes later. Any reactions are observed and recorded as an allergy trigger if the patient has accompanying allergy symptoms. 

It is important that this diagnostic tool is administered by a doctor.

It is more accurate to have your antibodies tested in a blood test.

The first step is to learn how the mite lives, and then learn to take measures to ensure that the remedy is not welcome. in your bed.

Cover your mattress, pillows, and comforters with allergen-proof microporous woven material. 

Remove carpets and clutter. Don't make your bed in the morning, air out 3 times a day for 10 minutes with doors and windows open so that you create a draught. 

If you use an old pillow, the mites will still be inside, even if you put an allergen-resistant cover on.

It is best to have new pillows with a new allergen-proof cover.

The same goes for duvets.

It is clearly recommended that all beds be made mite free. 

Especially if your child also sleeps in your bedroom. 

As a minimum, use very tight mattress and pillowcases as a supplement to a mattress pad. If your house dust mite allergy is severe, protection of the duvet is also recommended.

The mite lives in the nature if there is sufficient food, temperature and moisture. It can spread by clinging to fabric, clothing, fur, feathers or something else that gives them a place to hide and a lift to a new home.

House dust mites die if they are exposed to UV light. So they hide away from the light and burrow into the mattress by cling with strong hooks and suction cups on each of the their eight legs. 

Vacuuming a mattress will reduce a lot, but never so much that it has a big impact. The vacuum cleaner used should be fitted with a HEPA filter.

It's very expensive!

Yes, unfortunately, it is not cheap to have a house dust mite allergy.

Therefore, we also try to advise you on the cheapest, but still suitable solutions

Yes! But not as an independent cure. You also need to lower the humidity in the cold season, and maybe introduce some new habits like airing.

It is likely. Three of the key features of Human life is heart beat, breath and sleep. 

An active allergy to house dust mites can interfere with breathing and sleep. Wheezing, sneezing or itching, caused by an allergic reaction is also a known risk to sleep. 

Poor sleep can result in poor daytime concentration.

Yes, ultrafine diesel particles from traffic, especially diesel  particles,  can lead to toxic grass, grass pollen and dust mite allergens deep into the lungs and noses.

No, living with a house dust mite allergy is like having a constant, annoying colds, and it affects your everyday life - all year round.

Some do, while others keep it for life. Unfortunately, untreated house dust mite allergy can develop into asthma which can be very serious.

They are found in both clean and "dirty" homes. It is not the amount of dust, but factors such as humidity and access to the house dust mites' preferred food source (such as dead human and pet skin cells) determines whether they can thrive.

Impossible! House dust mites are microscopically small, and they are about the size of a dot made with a very sharp pencil. An alternative could be bed bugs.

No, dust mites can be found in many places in the home, including carpets, furniture, curtains, teddy bears and clothes.

As summer draws to a close and temperatures drop, House dust mites shelter indoors. So autumn and winter are the seasons where they are most numerous.

It makes no sense to fight them in the summer, as they are everywhere - both outdoors and indoors. They can best be controlled by lowering the humidity when the outside temperature is 15°C or below.

Washing, even with cold water, removes up to 80% of dust mite allergens, while requiring at least 55-60°C hot water to kill the mites.

This is not likely, as only extremely few people do not tolerate down/feathers. After all, it is keratin, as are our nails  made by. 

It is much more likely that there is dust and impurities in the  duvet that causes symptoms, try a different duvet in a  period.

New studies show that there are probably fewer allergens in duvets with down than in duvets with artificial filling.

If left on during the day, it can reduce concentration of dust  mites by approximately 50% as the heat lowers the humidity. 

Although there are no systematic studies on it, it is logical to recommend thorough airing of bedding and mattresses after use, so that the added moisture is quickly removed and the temperature is reduced.

By moving to new, well-insulated homes with ventilation systems with heat recovery it has in Denmark been shown to be able to reduce the concentration of dust mites in both mattress and house dust. But even under such optimal conditions, it was only possible to bring concentration below 100 house dust mites/g in less than 50% of the mattresses.

In a similar recent English study, the ventilation system was able to reduce humidity, but not sufficient to reduce the concentration of mites or mite allergens.

Effective protection requires several measures that cannot stand alone, and all studies show that the combination of low humidity and allergenic cover provides the best solution.

Air conditioners, which reduce the water content of the air, also reduce allergen concentrations during the summer months, and electric dehumidifiers in bedrooms can reduce high allergen concentrations locally in humid climates, but their noise levels and high costs prevent their proliferation. If the dehumidifier is placed elsewhere in the home, it is, like chemical dehumidifiers, inefficient.

Most importantly – smooth floors and no fixed blankets! If  indoor climate has allowed mites to grow in a mattress, a
firm carpet in the same room also contain allergens.

The beds should be with legs for good ventilation so that they are raised from the floor. Storing bedding in boxes under the bed is not advisable.