Many other irritants can be found indoors — specifically in your home or your child's school — that can aggravate asthma symptoms. Many of these products may be found in areas ranging from your kitchen cabinet to your bathroom counter to your child's art supply closet at school. In general, anything that has an odor or can put particles into the air can be an irritant to children with asthma.

Chemical Irritants

Chemical irritants that could be triggers of your child's asthma include fairly recognizable everyday products including:

• Strong odors from perfumes, scented candles, hairspray, cooking fumes (especially from frying), paints, or varnishes.

• Small airborne particles found in coal dust, chalk dust, or talcum powder.

• Cleaning products including air fresheners, toilet bowl cleaners, mothballs, powdered carpet cleaners, and related products with volatile organic compounds.

• Various spray pesticides.

Consider using these products less often — or not at all. Also, if you continue to use them, carefully follow the instructions on the label, and make sure the immediate area is ventilated. Periodically review this list of chemical irritants with your child's health care provider because his sensitivities to these irritants can very easily change.

Nitrogen Dioxide

Nitrogen dioxide, an odorless gas, is produced by appliances that burn fuels such as gas, wood, and kerosene. Make sure that these appliances are vented to the outside in order to avoid irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat or shortness of breath. If you use a gas stove for cooking, always use an exhaust fan when you cook. Also, never use the stove to heat your home.

For unvented kerosene or gas space heaters, remember to use the proper fuel and keep the heater adjusted as recommended by the manufacturer. Also, keep a window slightly ajar or use an exhaust fan to provide ventilation.

For wood-burning stoves, make sure the doors are fit closely, and follow the manufacturer's instructions for starting, burning, and extinguishing the fire. For wood-burning fireplaces, remember to keep the flue open so the smoke escapes through the chimney. Use these only if they are the sole source of heat in the home as they are significant irritants to a child's airways.