Food allergies are one of the most dangerous because they can cause a life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. Julie Wendt, MD, and the professional team at Relieve Allergy, Asthma & Hives in Scottsdale, Arizona, offer food oral immunotherapy. This medically supervised treatment eases worries about accidental exposure to your allergen by lowering your risk for anaphylaxis. Call the office today or request an appointment to learn if you or your child are good candidates for food oral immunotherapy.
Food oral immunotherapy is a treatment that can significantly reduce reaction to a food allergy by consistently exposing your immune system to small doses of your allergen.
This exposure desensitizes the immune system and increases the amount of the allergen you can consume before an allergic reaction begins.
OIT doesn’t cure or eliminate your food allergy. However, it dramatically reduces your risk of having a severe, life-threatening anaphylactic reaction. This is important because food allergies are one of the top causes of anaphylaxis and often easy to accidentally ingest.
Your Relieve Allergy, Asthma & Hives provider may consider oral immunotherapy for any food allergy, including:
Though oral immunotherapy can be done for any food allergy, some people may have health conditions or issues that prevent them from receiving treatment. For example, children with uncontrolled asthma or eosinophilic esophagitis may not be able to have oral immunotherapy.
Dr. Wendt is certified to provide Palforzia®, a prescription oral immunotherapy for treating peanut allergies. Palforzia can be started in children aged 4 through 17 years.
Your child’s treatment goes through several phases, including:
Your provider gives your child gradually increasing doses of peanut protein, beginning at a minuscule dose and working up to a very small dose. This stage takes place during one long office visit where your provider closely supervises your child’s response.
During this phase, your provider slowly increases your child’s dose every few weeks. They take a higher dose in the office, and then you give them the same amount daily at home. Up-dosing continues until they reach a specific dose.
After reaching the up-dosing goal, your child takes a daily maintenance dose. Daily doses are essential for immunotherapy to remain effective.
Oral immunotherapy for all food allergies follows a procedure similar to Palforzia, with an initial phase, multiple up-dosing phases, and finally a maintenance phase with daily at-home doses. The length of each phase and dosing varies, depending on the allergen.
Direct medical supervision is vital for oral immunotherapy. This ensures the safety of you or your child in the event a small dose triggers anaphylaxis.
Call Relieve Allergy, Asthma & Hives or book an appointment online to learn if you or your child are good candidates for food oral immunotherapy.