Allergy Testing and Immunotherapy.

Abstract

1. Alanna G. Wong, MD*,† 2. Jeanne M. Lomas, DO*,† 1. *Division of Pediatric Allergy/Immunology, Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong, Rochester, NY 2. †Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY * Abbreviations: EoE: : eosinophilic esophagitis FDA: : Food and Drug Administration IDT: : intradermal testing IgE: : immunoglobulin E SCIT: : subcutaneous immunotherapy SLIT: : sublingual immunotherapy SPT: : skin prick testing General pediatricians should be aware of currently available options for both allergy testing and treatment of allergic disease, including immunotherapy. These are areas that practitioners may have limited exposure to during pediatric training and beyond, thus there are misconceptions about the evaluation and management of various allergic conditions. After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Understand when allergy testing is indicated and the different methods used. 2. Recognize what conditions can be treated with allergy immunotherapy and the different modalities currently available for pediatric patients. Atopic diseases in the pediatric population often become a source of major concern for both patients and their caretakers. These conditions are quite common in children, with 5.6% having reported food allergies, 9% with hay fever, 11% with respiratory allergies, and 12% with skin allergies based on the 2012 National Health Interview Survey of US children. (1) Allergies are generally chronic and can significantly affect the child’s quality of life. For …