In Kid’s Room, Make a Clean Sweep of Stuffed Toys

Dust mites, the minute, spidery insects creeping around in your bedding and upholstery, long have been blamed for allergies. Now researchers are saying they also may be responsible for long-term lung damage in children.

The situation is so serious that experts are urging families to remove any and all dust collectors, including stuffed animals and books, from children’s bedrooms.

Dust mites are the kin of spiders. They eat dead-skin flakes, animal dander and molds. Mite feces contain an allergen that causes wheezing and coughing, and Dutch researchers have reported in the Journal of the American Lung Assn. that lung capacity may be reduced in the long term. In Britain, meanwhile, doctors have discovered how dust-mite allergens penetrate lungs: They attack the adhesive between cells of the lung’s lining, riddling it with holes.

Mona Tsoukleris, a clinical pharmacist and assistant professor of pharmacy at the University of Maryland, is among the experts advising parents to clear stuffed animals and books out of children’s rooms. Small toys that collect dust also should be boxed or removed, she says. (This may be easier said than done as stuffed characters from children’s books, television shows and movies, and collectibles such as Beanie Babies, have never been so popular among children. A poll this year by Sesame Street Parents magazine found parents complaining that stuffed animals have overtaken their children’s rooms.)

Before tossing everything, consider a study of 54 stuffed animals at Vanderbilt University in 1996 that found dust-mite levels insignificant compared with the level found on bedroom floors. This makes sense, as an allergen is a protein, usually heavier than other cells.

Still, experts say, parents should choose washable toys. Hot water and dry cleaning can get rid of mites.

Also, the growth of indoor allergies (and asthma) has created a major market for products that claim to restrict or kill dust mites, particularly in the bedroom.

Allergy experts suggest three ways to confront dust mites: Use dust-proof cases on pillows, mattresses and box springs. Don’t confuse these impermeable-fabric covers with hypo-allergenic products. Hypo-allergenic products pick up hair and shed skin, so you’ll still want dust protection.

Give up carpet. You can vacuum carpet an hour a day every day for a year and still have dust mites. (This finding comes from a study of a year of cleaning student apartments in Charlottesville, Va.)

Keep humidity between 30% and 50%. High humidity encourages dust-mite growth. Change the air-conditioning filters, too, or mold, another source of allergy, can float through the house.