We understand the stress and uncertainty that can come with a confirmed or suspected food allergy. You’re not alone. Here are answers to some of the most common questions we hear from parents.

FAQs

My child was diagnosed with multiple food allergies based upon allergy testing. What can be done?

Skin and blood tests are not reliable allergy screening tests. They both have very high rates of false positive results. That means they suggest your child is allergic to a food, when they really are not. This can lead to avoiding safe foods or even result in misdiagnosis. At our center, we focus on your child’s medical history to properly diagnose food allergies. Sometimes we interpret results differently than others and can introduce some foods at home. We also offer supervised oral food challenges at any age as the best way to learn if a child is truly allergic to a food. No matter how complex the situation seems, we’re committed to helping families find a clear, hopeful path. We are here to help reduce the stress of being diagnosed with multiple food allergies and get some foods back into the diet.

My child has eczema and I was told to avoid foods in their diet and in my own while breast feeding. Is this the right advice?

Our understanding of eczema has evolved. Eczema is not caused by allergies. It is a chronic skin condition that can flare from certain triggers. There is no cure, but almost all children can find relief through daily skin care, guidance on triggers, and topical medications. Avoiding certain foods in babies with eczema might actually make them more likely to develop food allergies. Allergy testing often leads to false positive results. Mothers rarely pass food allergens to their babies through breast milk. At our center, we try to help every family keep food in the diet as much as possible.

I was told that my child is deathly allergic to their allergen and that I always need to have 2 epinephrine injectors with them. Is that necessary?

We would never tell a family that their child is “deathly allergic.” Our tests don’t tell us anything about severity of reaction. We spend time with every family teaching them about anaphylaxis, including risk from different exposures and signs/symptoms to monitor over time. We practice with training devices in the office and review current recommendations regarding when at home management may be suitable. In addition, there are needle free epinephrine options that we discuss. We help ease anxiety and make care as flexible and relaxed as possible. Many families come to us for a second or third opinion. In most cases, they have not been given the education and guidance they deserve, which we are happy to provide.

My child has severe food allergies. We are afraid to go to restaurants, let them go to the playground or play sports. We don’t know what else to do. What can be done?

We have two psychologists on staff to help families manage anxiety surrounding food allergies. We understand how common and severe this can become. We help educate every family about risks from various exposures. We help people learn that just touching a food usually won’t cause a reaction, and that eating a tiny amount is also unlikely to cause any problems. We also review treatment options including oral immunotherapy and Xolair, which can be beneficial for many families.

I was told that my child is too young for treatment. Is that true?

We often start oral immunotherapy during infancy. This is to help increase tolerance, reduce risk for reactions, and potentially help resolve food allergy. Oral immunotherapy means eating a tiny amount of the food that causes the allergy once a day to help the body get used to it over time. This amount is increased every 2-3 weeks until the right amount (a maintenance dose) is reached. We support every family with education about reactions at home, restrictions during dosing, and long term expected benefits. Our team answers messages and questions the same day. Some families may opt for another treatment called Xolair, which can be used starting at one year of age.

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