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Sweet Dreams, Safe Dreams
Creating a Healthy Bedroom Environment
By Anat Cohen
For years, we've been raised on the saying "Your home is your castle." The concept of "home" is immediately connected with a safe haven, a shield, a shelter to protect us and our kids from external threats and deadly hazards. 
In fact, the modern home might be an extremely dangerous arena, especially for our youth. Their private rooms could be a source of toxic pollutants and other hazards that threaten their well-being and health.
Dr. Jerome A. Paulson, an associate professor of pediatrics at the George Washington University, says that most American parents are not aware of indoor hazards in their children's rooms. "Even among parents of asthmatic or allergic children, there is very little awareness to indoors environment," he says. "Just a minority of these parents undertake active precautions like removing stuffed toys, carpets and other dust catchers."
Dr. Paulson, who is also co-director of the Mid-Atlantic Center for Children's Health and the Environment, recalls the case of Sarah, a 9-year-old from Alexandria, Va., who loved stuffed animals. She had them on her bed and on shelves in her room. She also had a history of asthma and experienced three attacks in the last year, including one where she had to go the emergency room. She had some coughing every night that disturbed her sleep. Sarah went to an allergist, and testing showed that she was allergic to dust mites. Dust mites live in bedding, carpet, upholstered furniture and stuffed animals.
"No matter how well someone cleans there will be dust mites present in the home, unless the humidity is less than 50 percent," Dr. Paulson says. "Dust mites are a source of allergens that can cause allergic or asthmatic symptoms in sensitive kids."
Dr. Paulson is also concerned about what may seem trivial: the room's paint. "In the U.S., homes built before 1978 may have lead paint on indoor surfaces, and homes built before about 1950 certainly have lead paint on interior surfaces," he says. "Microscopic degradation and deterioration of that paint creates lead dust that can cause severe neurological problems and learning difficulties in children, but how many parents are aware [of] this hazard? Very little."