The Woodlands Allergy Center is the only place in North Houston for children and adults and it is one of a few OIT clinics in the nation. We are here to offer you the chance of living a normal life as a family. Our OIT (oral immunotherapy) services are not the only OIT treatment for food allergies in the Houston area but we are one of the best for a reason. When you or your child’s possibility of living a normal life are on the line, don’t you think you should give them a fair chance?
Our Established Houston OIT Food Allergy Treatments for Children and Adults
- Peanut Allergy Treatment
- Egg Allergy Treatment
- Soy Allergy Treatment
- Wheat Allergy Treatment
- Milk Allergy Treatment
- Tree Nut Allergy Treatment
- Sesame Allergy Treatment
- Chickpea Allergy Treatment*
For Infants: FARR (Food Allergy Risk Reduction Program)
The 2015 Learning Early about Peanuts Allergy (LEAP) study showed that giving peanut products early to babies at high risk of peanut allergy dramatically reduced their rate of peanut allergy. This is compared to avoiding peanuts entirely. The LEAP study showed this practice of allergen introduction was safe and effective. Doctors applied the results to other foods, too.
The FARR (Food Allergy Risk Reduction) program is for high-risk infants under the age of 1 year who have not had a reaction to food. Infants whose skin test to the food is negative or mildly positive are given the food in the doctor’s office. If there is no reaction, parents are instructed to administer the food at least three times a week to prevent the development of allergy.
Who is a Candidate for FARR?
At The Woodlands Allergy Center we utilize a Food Allergy Risk Reduction scoring system developed by Dr. Richard Wasserman and colleagues.
Infant FARR Risk Factors:
- Eczema prior to age 3 months (10 points)
- Severe eczema beginning after 3 months (7 points)
- History of food allergy (7 points )
- Any wheezing illness (3 points)
- Sibling or parent with food allergy (3 points)
- Family history of a predisposition toward developing certain allergic hypersensitivity reactions (atopy) but not food allergy (2 points)
Recommendation for FARR by score:
- 6 – strongly suggest
- 4 or 5 – suggest
- 2 to 3 – neutral
- 2 – not generally recommended
Other factors to consider:
- Weekly positive blood food allergy test
- Parental concerns about food allergy
- Food allergic siblings or other family members in the home
If you are not sure what to do, call The Woodlands Allergy Center and we can help: 281.713.9011
Hives, also known as urticaria, affect about 20% of people sometime in their life. They appear as raised itchy bumps caused by small blood vessel leaking when the immune system releases histamine. There are two kinds of hives, acute and chronic. Acute hives occur after coming in contact with a particular trigger: food, insect sting, medication, latex, infection, pet dander, pollen or plants (i.e. poison ivy). It can also be triggered by non-allergic causes such as heat, cold, pressure or exercise. Chronic hives, on the other hand, are rarely caused by specific outside triggers. They can be frustrating lasting months to years and allergy testing is usually not helpful. With the approval of Xolair (Omalizumab) in 2014, patients now have a fast and very well tolerated option for treating chronic hives replacing high dose antihistamines (that can be sedating) or other more toxic therapies (cyclosporine or steroids).
The immune system is made up of lymphoid tissue that includes the bone marrow, tonsils, and lymph nodes. These organs help to protect the body from harmful substances such as bacteria, virus, toxins and cancer cells. Immunodeficiency disorders may affect any part of the immune system and may be inherited or acquired later in life. The most common type of primary immunodeficiency is when the body does not produce enough or normally functioning antibodies, which are specialized proteins that destroy harmful substances. In addition, other causes such as chemotherapy, infections or severe burns may cause a secondary immunodeficiency. The typical symptoms of immunodeficiency are recurrent infections such as sinusitis, pneumonia, ear, skin and gastrointestinal infections. Immunologists evaluate your ability to fight infections, devise a plan for you to prevent exposures and treat some forms of immunodeficiency with therapies such as replacement immunoglobulin.
All medications have the potential to cause side effects, but only about 5 to 10% of adverse reactions to drugs are allergic. The most common medications to produce allergic reactions include antibiotics (such as penicillin), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (such as aspirin and ibuprofen), anticonvulsants, monoclonal antibody therapy and chemotherapy. It can be a challenge to identify the cause of a drug rash in patients on multiple chronic medications. Obtaining a detailed history and timeline is essential in piecing together the story to establish the true cause of symptoms. As an example, penicillin allergy is incorrectly diagnosed in many patients. Studies have shown that more than 90% of patients who believed to be allergic to penicillin tested negative for penicillin allergy. Such false belief that one is allergic to penicillin limits antibiotic choices. The alternatives may cause resistance, side effects, be more expensive or less effective. Testing to penicillin becomes important to determine an accurate diagnosis for future medical care. Allergists are also trained in desensitizing patients to medication (such as aspirin causing hives but needed for cardiovascular disease prevention) and administering medications or vaccines in graded doses in the safe environment of their office.
Food allergies affect 4 to 6 percent of children and 4 percent of adults. They are most common in young children, but allergies to food can appear at any age and to any food. There are eight types of foods responsible for 90% of all reactions. Those are milk, eggs, soy, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish. Symptoms of food allergy can be unpredictable and vary from mild to severe between reactions. The most severe symptom is anaphylaxis, a life-threatening whole-body reaction that can impair breathing, affect heart rate and cause a dramatic drop in your blood pressure within minutes of exposure to the trigger food. This reaction can be fatal and must be treated quickly with an injection of epinephrine.
Atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema, is a chronic skin condition that causes recurrent episodes of itchy red rashes. It often begins in the first years of life and is often an indication that the child will develop other allergic diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis or food allergies. Symptoms of eczema include patches of red skin, itching and dry cracked or scaly skin especially inside the folds of the elbows and knees. Allergy testing can be helpful to identify the triggers. Treatment includes good skin care, prevention of scratching and avoidance of known triggers such as pet dander, dust mite or food. Bleach baths are now part of the standard regimen for eczema as they decrease inflammation and prevent skin superinfection by bacteria. Medicated non-steroidal creams can also be used as prevention.
Asthma is a chronic disease of the lungs and affects about 26 million Americans. The disease causes inflammation and narrowing of the bronchial tubes with symptoms such as wheezing, cough, shortness of breath and chest tightness. Asthma can be allergic – caused by exposure to an allergen such as pet dander, and non-allergic – caused by triggers such as exercise, illness, stress, or irritants. Asthma is among the most common chronic childhood illnesses and if left undiagnosed or unmanaged, can be deadly. Studies show that people with asthma who see a specialist, such as an allergist, reduce their symptoms, emergency room and doctor visits, missed days from work or school and health care costs. The main strategy of controlling asthma is prevention. Prevention includes: understanding and avoiding triggers, having access to medical care, obtaining appropriate treatment to decrease chronic inflammation and improve or maintain lung function.
Environmental allergies, commonly called “hay fever”, affect the nose. Symptoms include nasal congestion, drippy nose, sneezing, itching and puffy eyelids. These symptoms can also be exacerbated by irritants such as cigarette smoke or perfumes. The term “hay fever” can be misleading as you do not need to be exposed to hay or have a fever to have the symptoms. There are two types of allergic rhinitis: seasonal – caused by sensitivity to airborne pollens or mold spores; and perennial – with symptoms year-round caused by sensitivity to dust mite, pet dander or cockroach.
Our immune system protects us from foreign organisms that could cause illness. In the case of allergies, our body mistakes harmless substances, such as pollen, as invaders. We call these substances allergens. Most common allergens that can cause allergic reactions include food, pollen, mold, dust mite, animal dander, insect stings, medications, and latex. Upon encountering these allergens, the immune system overreacts and produces an antibody IgE that travels to different tissues and plays a role in the release of substances such as histamine.
