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Fall Season Tips By Dr. Inglefield As the heat of late summer begins to fade, the next major allergy and asthma season begins. August brings weed pollens, and about the middle of the month ragweed hits the entire East coast. The beginning of school brings the opportunity for viruses to spread easily from student to student or teacher. The cough and cold flu season is primed. How can we as allergy and asthma sufferers be prepared for this colorful, but for us often aggravating, time of the year? Let us talk first about the need to avoid pollen. An allergy is best treated by avoidance of the allergen that causes symptoms. If fall pollens or mold spores associated with the leaves falling are an allergic trigger for us, then we need to minimize outdoor activity during the peak of that season. Mowing grass, raking leaves, and mulching increase our exposure to molds and pollens. These activities should be left to others, and allergy sufferers should not be around while these tasks are performed. Windows should be closed and air conditioners and air cleaners (HEPA and electrostatic) used whenever possible, preferably running continuously throughout the season. It is tempting to open the windows to smell the fresh air. Camping, hiking, and picnicking can be enjoyed during late fall after the season peaks. Do not hang clothes out to dry; they act as traps for pollen and mold spores. The start of the school requires special attention. Many school forms, medication forms, and letters need to be generated. Please make an appointment with your allergist to see your child, update and review all medication needs, check pulmonary function, and obtain refill prescriptions. . .. Vaccination updating is important . . .. Pneumonia vaccines are available to all patients older than two years of age and should help decrease the most common causes of pneumonia, ear infections, sinusitis, bronchitis, and most upper respiratory problems. Flu shots should be given to virtually everyone during fall/winter beginning in September, with boosters being administered in January. A flu shot reduces overall respiratory problems by about one third during the winter. Family members should also receive them to decrease the allergic person's chance of catching the flu. Medications and allergy shots work best and provide the best protection if used regularly according to directions. Allergy shots often work better if given more frequently, so do not hesitate to get your shot weekly or even more often. If your allergy shots are mixed in our office, call our office for advice. The danger of food allergy reactions increases during the school year with exposure to foods you cannot easily monitor and inadequate supervision by new teachers and cafeteria workers. Children and adults with anaphylactic reactions to food should always carry an adrenalin kit (Ana-Kit® or EpiPen®) in case they are accidentally exposed to the offending food. Recently one of our teenage nut-sensitive patients, who had successfully avoided nuts for ten years, accidentally ate a cookie containing nuts. He suffered a life-threatening reaction requiring a hospital stay. Accidents do happen, so check the expiration date on your adrenalin or epinephrine, update your prescription, and learn how to use it quickly if necessary. Stinging insects are often more angry and far more aggressive during the fall, so the stinging-insect patient should be prepared with adrenalin and avoid activities where stings may occur. If you know of a person who has a history of a systemic reaction to stings (shortness of breath, hives, passing out, nausea or vomiting) he/she should be skin tested for the insects to see if allergy shots could be lifesaving. An adrenalin kit alone is not enough to prevent some fatal reactions! Venom allergy shots are extremely effective. © 1996
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Contacting us Please CALL
our office (828-322-1275 or 1-800-432-5015) if you or your child is a patient at
Hickory Allergy & Asthma Clinic, and
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