There are countless things to keep in mind when completing your holiday shopping. You may need to remember everyone’s clothing sizes, game preferences or favorite books. One consideration that many often omit from their lists is allergies. Allergies affect more than 50 million people in the United States each year. To help prevent your gift recipient from breaking out in sneezing, coughing and hives, take a look at a couple of tips for buying allergy-free gifts.
Avoid Stuffed Animals
Approximately 20 million people in the United States have a dust mite allergy. Any fabric can be a source of dust mite collection, and stuffed animals are no different. Especially when given to younger children, stuffed animals collect dust mites and other allergens. If your recipient has a severe dust mite allergy, consider picking up a hard toy from the Learning Express. Hard toys can be wiped down more easily and are less likely to host dust mites. If a stuffed animal is the only gift they want, ensure it is washed regularly to reduce allergens.
Choose Bedding Carefully
Bedding is another common source of dust mites. Roughly four out of five homes in the United States have dust mites in at least one bed. You can help reduce this number by purchasing allergy-friendly bedding specifically made to prevent dust mites from accumulating.
Consider Allergy-Prevention Gifts
In addition to allergy-friendly bedspreads, two allergy-prevention gifts to consider for your most sniffly loved ones include:
- A vacuum. Vacuuming at least once a week is essential to keep dust mites, pet dander and pollen from accumulating in your home. Consider purchasing a vacuum with a high-quality filtration system for your loved ones to help keep their holidays allergy-free.
- Air purifiers. It may not seem like the most exciting gift at first, but air purifiers can help reduce allergens by catching pollen, dust mites, pet dander and mold particles as they float through the air. Clean air and breathing will help your loved ones have the best holiday season yet.
- Dehumidifier. Georgia can get a little humid sometimes, and humidity can bring on one unfortunate allergen: mold. An estimated 10% of people have a mold allergy. Mold often grows in the home when there is excess heat and moisture. A dehumidifier is one excellent gift option to help decrease the likelihood of mold growth in your loved one’s home.
By shopping with allergens in mind, you can help prevent nasal congestion and sneezing from taking over this holiday season. To learn more about allergy prevention, contact ENT of Georgia North today to make an appointment with one of our specialists.
