2003 2ND PLACE

Pets can make you gasp

Lewis Brindley
2nd place winner of the 16-19 category

Asthmatics have a lot to worry about. Aside from the terrifying symptoms of their illness they need to make sure they carry and use the right medicines, ensure their house is kept as allergen-free as possible and perhaps even avoid certain foods. No one really knows the true cause of asthma, but there are many "trigger" factors that can bring on the suffocation: these must be avoided at all costs and doctors should be fully aware of them.

Every asthmatic is different, and their specific triggers are varied. The most common physical ones are the house dust-mite, pollen, moulds and cigarette smoke. Foods such as milk and eggs can trigger an attack, as can exercise, cold air and coughing.

Household pets are particularly bad for allergic asthmatics. Even a meticulously clean house last inhabited by a cat months ago can bring on strong asthma. Nearly one half of all asthmatics are allergic to some form of animal hair, fur or dander. Many self-help guides include information such as this: "Do not have furry or feathery pets, in particular cats. Asthmatics with significant symptoms should keep pets that will not cause problems, eg fish or reptiles. ''Tom Jarvis, 50, from Braintree in Essex had never suffered health problems worse than mild hayfever. Then he reached 46 he began to get breathless and was diagnosed with asthma.

At first he put it down to just getting old but as his condition worsened he was gradually put on stronger and stronger medication. Within three years Tom's asthma has taken over his life, putting him into hospital many times. He couldn't sleep for more than a couple of hours without being out of breath. Tom was housebound and had to breathe through a nebuliser (the equivalent dose of 100 regular inhalers)four times a day, as well as taking a mountain of prescribed drugs, sprays and pills.

In August 2001 Tom suffered his most severe attack. His airways closed tighter than ever before and his breathing stopped. He was rushed to hospital and resuscitated. Nearly a year later his condition had barely improved, and he was still making regular emergency hospital visits. Consultants maintained there was nothing else they could do except for more drugs.

Although Tom was very sceptical of "complementary" medicine a friend recommended him to see a Buteyko practitioner. It was during his first session that he could finally gained an insight into the real problem. There were no obvious "triggers" in his life that could be causing his asthma. He lived in a clean house in the country. A battery of allergen tests had shown no positive results and as far as the medical profession was concerned an allergy was not causing his condition. However there was one thing that was unusual. Six years ago Tom's son had wanted a pet lizard and the family agreed to get an iguana, which lived quietly in the boy's bedroom. The reptile, Rex, grew to a horrifying 6ft from head to tail.

A study from Germany as far back as 1985 "found positive (allergic) reactions in the skin-prick test to the scales of the lizard Egernia cunninghami . "A more recent study from August 2000 showed an American man had a severe allergy to his iguana. A team of scientists obtained an extract from iguana scales that could be used in a skin-prick test and the results" clearly demonstrated that he was allergic to iguana. ''Rex was taken in a by a reptile sanctuary and the house carefully cleaned. Tom began to feel better almost immediately and his condition steadily improved. Six months on and Tom's life has turned around. He is barely recognisable from the severely ill person he was and asthma no longer interrupts his sleep or interferes with his life. One thing is clear -some people may have life-threatening allergies to unexpected things. Tom and his wife are starting a campaign to raise awareness of this particular allergy as there could be thousands of people whose lives are affected by it today, especially children.

The author came second in the younger category of the 2003 BASF/Daily Telegraph science writer awards. He is about to start his second year at Manchester University. The Buteyko Breathing Association: tel 01277 364724.