Finding the perfect gift for a loved one with asthma or allergies just got a little easier this year. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) is helping shoppers all over the U.S. with a creative program to certify a variety of household products as “asthma friendly.”

Currently more than 50 products in 6 categories are Certified asthma friendly® including bedding encasements, stuffed toys, pillows, and vacuum cleaners, and with many more on the way. Certified products are already on the shelves of more than 15 major retailers, including Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, Kohl’s, Build-a-Bear Workshop, and FAO Schwartz.

People should look for the asthma friendly® Certification Mark or they may visit www.asthmafriendly.com [2] to find products that have been scientifically tested and proven to be suitable for people with asthma and allergies.

This unique program does more than just inform consumers if a product is certified. Each product comes with a unique registration code and instructions to help patients keep it in “asthma-friendly” condition. For example, the Certified stuffed toys come with a tag containing wash and care instructions such as, “Place toy in the freezer for 24 hours and machine wash every four weeks to kill dust mites and their eggs.”

Other Certified products such as pillows and encasements come with special wash and care instructions, as well as other tips.

ASTHMA, ALLERGIES AFFECT 60 MILLION AMERICANS
More than 60 million people in the U.S. have asthma and allergies, making them two of the most common chronic diseases among children and adults. Prevalence rates for both diseases have doubled in the past 20 years, and doctors and scientists warn that asthma and allergy triggers are everywhere.

“Symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing can be triggered by many things around the house,” says Mike Tringale, Director of External Affairs at AAFA. “Carpets, bedding, and stuffed toys can carry dust mites and other allergens that are a major problem for asthma and allergy sufferers,” says Tringale.

For years, allergists have instructed their patients to look for household products that help to reduce exposure to allergens and irritants, and, according to Tringale, the newly released asthma care guidelines from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) make a stronger case for such measures.

“The updated NIH guidelines are clearer than ever that household environmental control and avoidance of allergens is critical for patients,” says Tringale. “There will be plenty of doctors, patients, moms and dads who will be very happy that this certification program is in place,” he said.