Roaches On The Run - What You Can Do To Help Yourself: Allergies

Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School

Roaches on the run

Roaches on the run

Cockroaches are bad news. They can trigger asthma attacks. A federally funded inner-city asthma study found that many children with asthma are living in allergen-loaded environments. Researchers found that 73% of the children’s homes had roaches, and 70% had dampness. Asthmatic children who were allergic to roach droppings and exposed to high levels of cockroach allergen had four times the risk of hospitalization for a bad asthma attack compared with children who were not allergic and not sensitized.

Your main cockroach strategy is cleanliness. Make sure there isn’t a crumb left out for them. Vacuum and sweep after every meal (don’t forget under the refrigerator and stove) and make sure no food is left uncovered — including all garbage. If you feel they’re gaining the upper hand, call in a professional exterminator. Roaches are very experienced adversaries. They also like water, so wipe up dampness, fix leaking pipes and faucets, and run a dehumidifier or air conditioner in damp or humid weather.

Last updated:	August 21, 2006
Reviewed By:	Faculty of Harvard Medical School