Natural Family Online Blog

Non Allergenic Christmas Trees

Is Your Child Allergic to Christmas?
By Christine Climer

Congestion, wheezing, coughing and sneezing are definitely not on your child’s wish list — but somehow, they always seem to be delivered just in time for Christmas. Holiday decorating can be a huge challenge if your child suffers from respiratory allergies. The good news is that you can deck the halls and still avoid allergy triggers this Christmas.

Some families love to make a special holiday quest for that perfect live tree. If allergies have interfered with your family’s quest, there are a few simple steps that may allow you to return to that holiday tradition. Many parents believe that their child is allergic to the tree itself — but in reality, the tree only carries the offenders. Tiny molds on the tree release spores into the air inside your home and cause allergy symptoms in sensitive children. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) recommends that you wash your tree thoroughly with a forceful water hose spray and then allow the tree to dry out in an enclosed porch or garage (while keeping the cut end of the trunk in a bucket of water) before bringing it indoors.

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© Christine Climer

NFO Health & Wellness Editor Christine Climer is a registered nurse with experience in pulmonary disease, pediatrics, home health, hospice and early childhood education. She specializes in the promotion of child and family health in Best Baby Nurse in Dallas, Texas. When she’s not busy with her daughter and twin boys, Christine enjoys researching health issues and gardening.

Pressure Treated Wood - Poisonous?

Family Health & Wellness

Question: We have a wood deck where we spend a lot of time outdoors. I heard that pressure-treated wood can be poisonous. How can I tell if mine is, and what can I do about it?

Christine Climer responds: Pressure-treated wood does sometimes contain a preservative called chromated copper arsenate (CCA) -- this means arsenic. Arsenic is a poison and has also been linked with the development of certain types of cancer. When your child touches CCA-treated wood with his hands, arsenic residue sticks to his skin. Then if he puts fingers in his mouth or touches food, he ingests the arsenic.

Walking through your local home improvement store’s lumber department, you may have noticed some wood carries an interesting green tint. That green color is CCA. Many stores no longer carry CCA-treated woods, and the lumber industry has agreed voluntarily to phase out CCA treatment of wood intended for residential use. Other non-arsenic chemicals are available instead. So if you are building a new structure, arsenic exposure is likely to be less of an issue.

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© Christine Climer.

NFO Your Family’s Health Editor Christine Climer is a registered nurse with experience in pulmonary disease, pediatrics, home health and hospice services. See more about Christine.