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www.FredericksburgParent.NET 19 Sponsored Material Join us for the live conversation on Join us this month for a live Ask The Expert on our Facebook page with Dr. Posthumus! Be sure to follow us for upcoming details. Facebook: @fredericksburgparent • Twitter: @FredParent • Instagram: @fredparentmagazine a sk t h e e x p e rt Q: What three myths about allergies do you want people to stop believing immediately? Q: If you get allergy shots, do you need to keep getting them throug- out your life? The benefi cial eff ects on the symptoms of allergies begin during the fi rst year of therapy and con- nue throughout the period in which the pa ent receives injec ons. There is a consensus among professional allergy socie es that an ini al course of allergy shots should consist of three to fi ve years of maintenance treatment, which is typically given once or twice a month. A er this, the clinician and pa ent should meet to review overall impact on quality of life and, based upon these factors, decide if they will con nue treatment. We coun- sel pa ents that several more years of con nued relief is typical a er allergy shots are discon nued although there is a risk of earlier relapse that is not predictable. With relapse, it is possible to start shots again. Q: Can I build a tolerance to an OTC allergy medication? Yes, with prolonged use of an histamines they may lose their eff ec veness. This is called tachyphylax- is. This is less likely to occur with other allergy medica- ons like nasal steroid sprays. Q: Are allergies hereditary? Yes, the risk of nasal allergies is higher if your parents have allergies. Other congenital risk factors for nasal allergies include being fi rstborn, male and being born during the pollen season. 1 2 3 Hypoallergenic cat and dog breeds. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a truly hy- poallergenic dog or cat. They release allergens in saliva, sebaceous glands and other glands. It's not the fur people are allergic to. Some breeds are more bothersome for allergy suff erers than others though. Allergy medica ons don't work. I must have to live with my allergies. Don't believe this! If you think you may have aller- gies or asthma and the symptoms are diffi cult to control, it is important to seek the right medical help. A board-cer fi ed allergist is a specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of allergies, asthma and other diseases of the immune system. Allergists have completed medical school, at least three years of residency in pediatrics or internal medicine, then at least two years of specialized training in allergy and immunology. Tes ng by an allergist is safe and eff ec ve for pa ents of all ages. Allergy tests, combined with the knowledge of your allergy specialist to interpret them, can give precise informa on about what you are allergic to and develop a treatment plan to manage your symptoms. Shellfi sh allergy and iodine allergy. Radiologists and cardiologists o en use contrast with iodine during CT scans and other procedures for be er imaging. Since shellfi sh contain iodine, in the past many physicians have linked a contrast reac on to a shellfi sh allergy. However, this is false, and a shellfi sh allergy has nothing to do with the reac on. In fact, elemen- tal iodine is not and cannot be an allergen as it found in the human body. Pa ents can be allergic to povidone iodine, which is used sterilize the skin for procedures and pa ents can have allergic reac ons to iodinated contrast dye, but it is not because of the iodine itself. Want more allergy info? You won't want to miss our Facebook Live Ask The Expert session this month! Watch our social media pages for details and be sure to follow Allergy Partners of Fredericksburg. www.facebook.com/APFredericksburg/