THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, October 23, 1995 TAG: 9510230028
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARIE JOYCE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 43 lines
Dr. Harvey Davis always tells his patients: ``You can pay Virginia Power or you can pay me.''
If you suffer from pollen allergies, your best bet in the fall is to keep the windows closed and the air conditioner on, especially at night, local doctors say.
And the same is true in the car. ``Although it's very pleasant to have the window open during this weather,'' your sinuses won't appreciate it, said Dr. T.V. Pangalos.
Over-the-counter antihistamines work well for seasonal allergies, although they can make you sleepy. You can take them for four to six weeks without trouble, as long as you don't have high blood pressure or other health problems, Pangalos said.
If your allergies persist, a doctor can prescribe non-sedating antihistamines, steroid nasal sprays or allergy shots.
Combating hay fever in children can be trickier, said Dr. Karl H. Karlson Jr., a lung specialist with Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters and associate professor of pediatrics at Eastern Virginia Medical School.
Parents should be careful with over-the-counter medicines, he said, because children don't always react as expected. It's not understood why, but drugs designed to be nonsedating can put some kids to sleep. Or medicines can make them hyperactive or cause hallucinations.
Parents can help their kids by:
Not smoking in the house.
Buying only hypoallergenic stuffed animals, because regular stuffed animals can harbor mold.
Storing out-of-season clothes someplace besides the bedroom. They collect dust. MEMO: [For a related story, see page A1 for this date.]
by CNB