SPRING FORWARD AND FALL BACK
It's Allergy Season Again!

Has a box of tissues become part of your family's wardrobe? Can't leave home without it, or worse, can't leave home? Then you're probably suffering from allergies, adverse reactions caused by inhalants such as pollens and animal danders, chemicals, and foods. Although food and chemical allergies cause suffering for individuals all year long, seasonal allergies present discomfort during a set period of time. This fall has been particularly bad for allergy sufferers, actually much worse than it has been in previous years. Why is this fall presenting a particular problem for people with allergies? Weeds and molds are more prevalent this year because of the excessive rain this past summer. Damp, rainy days will increase the mold count and exacerbate the fall allergy problems. What's the source of the problems? Short ragweed, goldenrod, dandelion, English plantain, lambs quarter, mugwort and cocklebur are the most common weeds that bloom from mid August to the first frost. These weeds cause symptoms involving the eyes, nose and lungs and present specific medical problems like hayfever, asthma and allergic conjunctivitis. The good news is there is an end in sight for fall allergy sufferers--fall allergies are seasonal and the first frost will typically diminish the pollen counts for these weeds. While the first frost appears to be the answer to most parents' and children's prayers, frost can actually bring another problem to the surface--molds. A mold allergy, caused most frequently by alternaria, hormondendrum and aspergillus, can cause problems including: asthma fatigue decreased attention span and concentration. Mold allergies are perennial and are increased when heat is turned on in the home. Molds can then circulate more freely throughout the house and affect individuals with mold sensitivities. While they can be found in any home, molds are discovered more frequently in old homes and damp bathrooms and basements. How can you tell if molds are prevalent in your home? If you believe that you or your family is suffering from an allergy caused by molds, contact your family physician or allergist. The physician can provide you with "mold plates" to place in the corners of various rooms within your home. The plates register what kinds of molds are present in the room. In addition, make a room as allergy-free as possible. Cotton fabrics or vinyl should be used on pillows, mattresses, upholstered furniture, wall hangings and stuffed animals to eliminate the presence of molds. In addition, carpeting should be removed and replaced by hardwood or tile floors and floors should be frequently vacuumed. Air filtration devices, such as dehumidifiers, air cleaners and negative ion generators, and anti-mold sprays can also be very helpful.

The brightly colored leaves we admire so much during the months of October and November can be an additional source of problems for those who are sensitive to molds. Frequent rain can increase the presence of mold on these leaves and present a problem when a child or adult wishes to go outdoors in the fall. What can you do? A mold-sensitive person should avoid contact with decomposing leaves or leaves that have been affected by damp weather. Avoid decaying vegetation, do not rake leaves and if necessary, wear a face mask when around moldy vegetation. Why can fall be an especially painful time for allergy-sufferers? Each person has an individual threshold for allergies. If there is an "overload" of allergies, an individual is likely to develop multiple allergic symptoms. Specifically, people who have food allergies may develop "allergy overload" and have increased allergic symptoms from a combination of pollen, mold and food allergies during the fall. Because mold spores are so prevalent during a damp fall season, many people experience increased, and often, more severe medical problems during this season.

Recently, I saw a 8 year-old boy who experienced "allergy overload" during the spring and fall. His parents complained of his sudden change in behavior and mood, aggressive outbursts, abdominal pain, headaches, irritability and a history of bedwetting. Pollen symptoms were noted to increase from March to May and August to October. These behavior problems were not noted in the summer and winter. In fact, during these two seasons he was described as "95% delightful." After recently undergoing allergy testing in my office, the young boy tested positive to eleven foods, 23 inhalants, three additives, and histamine. His medical problems improved dramatically this fall on Immunotherapy. This boy is an excellent example of a patient who develops significant symptoms during weed pollen season. His pollen problems in the fall appear to be complicated by an "allergy load" as his significant food hypersensitivities make him more vulnerable to medical problems during weed season.

The key to diagnosing and effectively treating patients is to listen to individuals history and then determine the appropriate unique medical program.