Tuesday, March 26, 2024
HomeNewsCan Kids Get Allergy Shots

Can Kids Get Allergy Shots

Can Children Receive Treatment

Kids and allergy shots

Yes, allergy shots are safe for kids. In fact, immunotherapy may help kids avoid developing other allergies or asthma as they get older.

Immunotherapy is safe for children 5 years of age or older. They may be administered even earlier if a board-certified allergist or immunologist determines its appropriate.

Can Allergy Shots Treat Food Allergies

No. Avoidance is the only treatment for food allergy. There is no cure. Neither desensitization nor shots have proven to be a safe or effective way of reducing food allergy reactions. If interested in being part of future research for treatments, contact the Family Allergy & Asthma Research Institute.

Immunotherapy And Your Child

Allergies affect millions of children in the United States, and allergic rhinitis is the most common type. Available treatments such as antihistamines suppress substances involved in immune reactions to help minimize symptoms.

Immunotherapy, on the other hand, is the only allergy treatment that changes the immune system to provide long-term relief. In many cases, immunotherapy leads to lasting relief from allergy symptoms. Take a moment to explore how immunotherapy can help your child.

Recommended Reading: How Long Do Allergy Shots Take To Work

My Allergy Shots Arent Working Why Could That Be

There are a few different reasons why you may not be finding relief from immunotherapy.

The first is time. As stated previously, immunotherapy is a slow process. It can take several months for your symptoms to start disappearing. If youve been receiving consistent shots for a year and havent noticed any changes, talk to your immunologist about next steps.

Alternatively, you may be allergic to something that wasnt identified in your allergy test and isnt included in your treatment formula. Your immunologist may have you retested or administer a different kind of test.

Lastly, you might not be receiving a high enough dose. Shot schedules start with very small amounts which are slowly increased over time. Its possible you may need a higher dose or need to receive injections more often. Your doctor can advise you on your options.

How Can I Protect My Child From Allergens

10 Things To Know About Flu Shots

Here are the best ways to reduce your child’s exposure to the most common allergens:

Dust mitesDust mites live in fabrics and carpets and are common in every room of the house. But children are usually exposed to the most dust mites in the bedroom, where mattresses and pillows are veritable dust-mite condominiums.

The following steps may seem like a lot of work, but they really help.

“Parents who take these steps might expect a 60 to 70 percent rate of improvement in their child’s allergies,” says Virant, “and this should markedly cut down the level of medication needed for the problem.”

Pet danderIf your child is allergic to a pet, the only foolproof solution is to give the animal away. That’s not an easy decision to make, of course, and, understandably, you’ll want to consider it only as a last resort.

To keep the dander down, wash your pet frequently. You can find shampoos that reduce dander in the pet store. Also keep your pet off the furniture and out of your child’s room.

PollenDuring allergy season it can be close to impossible to avoid airborne pollens. You can try to keep your child indoors with the windows closed during the height of pollen season, particularly on windy days, but this may be unrealistic.

If your child does go outdoors, make sure you bathe her and wash her hair each night to remove any airborne allergens. Dry her clothes in the dryer rather than on the clothesline, and close the air ducts to her bedroom.

Don’t Miss: Is There A Test For Milk Allergy

What Causes Nasal Allergies

The most likely culprits are:

  • Dust mites: microscopic organisms that thrive on human skin flakes. Nearly 85 percent of allergy sufferers are allergic to dust mites.
  • Animal dander, those white, flaky specks made up of skin and hair shed by cats, dogs, and other furry animals.
  • Pollen, particularly from trees, grasses, and weeds.
  • Mold: fungi found in wet, damp places such as bathrooms and basements or outdoors in humid climates.

Some children are allergic to down and feather pillows or wool blankets. And while most experts don’t think children can be allergic to tobacco smoke, it can certainly make their allergic symptoms worse.

Why Allergy Drops Are The Best Kids Allergy Medicine

  • No shots! Take once a day at home! Safer than shots and more child friendly.
  • Sublingual Immunotherapy has been used worldwide for decades.
  • They are safe for children under 5 years old.
  • Allergy drops protect against more allergens than allergy shots.
  • Drops treat underlying allergies, not just symptoms, so results last!
  • Allergy drops are all-natural extracts, not synthetic medications.
  • There are no side-effects.
  • Drops can be used for both environmental and food allergies.
  • Drops can be used for asthma, hives, eczema, chronic sinus and ear infections, hay fever, and more. Ask your pediatrician.

Don’t Miss: What Does A Sun Allergy Rash Look Like

A Side Story: My Experience With Allergy Shots

Ive had serious allergies since I was very young. When they tested me for the various things I was allergic to, they drew a grid with one square per allergen. Every single square became an inflamed, itchy bump. Well, theres one square that didnt react, I pointed out to the nurse hopefully.

Oh honey, she said. Thats the control.

I started taking shots in my early 20s, but for various reasons I stopped for a few years. I started up again in my mid through late 20s. Even with health insurance, at the time money was tight and the copay took a bite out of our finances.

I never had any kind of systemic reaction from my shots. To be honest, after months and months of never having a reaction, I stopped waiting around the doctors office after the shots were administered. Id often get an itchy bump for a day or so, but thats it. Its also worth noting that, while you need an allergist to test and set up the serum, you can have your regular general practitioner do the weekly or monthly shots. This was great for me since my GP was much closer than my allergist.

Post Tags

They Contain Allergens So Reactions Can Happen

Choosing allergy shots for your child

Allergy shots work by exposing patients to tiny amounts of whatever it is they’re allergic to. The amount of allergen in each injection increases gradually over time so the body can build up a tolerance.

“It changes the person’s immune system from having a bad reaction to pretty much ignoring the allergen,” Dr. Dziadzio said. “For some people, it decreases their allergies enough so they can come off medicine entirely, and for some it helps their medicines be more effective.”

But because allergens are involved, reactions to the shots themselves are possible. These can range from swelling and itching at the injection site to sneezing and a runny nose, to, in rare cases, anaphylactic shock, which is severe and could be life-threatening. That’s why it’s recommended that patients stay at their healthcare provider’s office for 30 minutes after each shot so they can be monitored and treated for reactions if they do occur, according to MedlinePlus.

Don’t Miss: How To Ease Allergy Symptoms

How Effective Is Immunotherapy

Allergen immunotherapy is very effective in decreasing allergy symptoms. In children, immunotherapy can help to prevent allergic rhinitis from progressing to asthma. Children who have an allergy are at risk of developing an allergy to another substance. Fortunately, immunotherapy can help to prevent the development of new allergies.

Allergy symptoms usually improve during the first year of treatment, and the most noticeable improvement often shows up in the second year of treatment.

What Do Results Mean

The meaning of the allergy test results depends on what test you do. If your child has a reaction to the food challenge test or elimination diet test, thats a pretty clear indicator theres an allergy to a food and they should stay away from it.

Blood tests arent as sensitive as skin tests, and can yield both false positives and false negatives.

Whatever allergy testing is done for your child, its important to place those results in the larger picture of the symptoms theyve exhibited and their reactions to specific exposures. Taken together, that will help confirm any specific allergy diagnosis.

Read Also: How To Get Rid Of A Allergy Headache

Are There Side Effects To Immunotherapy

There are 2 types of reactions to immunotherapy: local and systemic. The local reaction is redness and swelling at the injection site. If this keeps happening, then the extract strength or schedule is changed.

A systemic reaction may affect the whole body. Symptoms may include nasal congestion, sneezing, hives, swelling, wheezing, and low blood pressure. These reactions can be serious and even life-threatening. In rare cases this can lead to death. If a systemic reaction occurs, your child may keep taking shots. But the dosage will be lower.

If you have any questions about immunotherapy, talk with your child’s healthcare provider.

How Allergy Shots Can Help Children With Allergies

What

Allergies can flare up with the onset of triggers such as dust mites, and pollen from trees or grasses or mold. When this happens, your child can get a runny nose, itchy eyes, or a sore throat. In more severe cases, allergy reactions can upset his or her stomach and make your child feel ill. It is no fun and it is one of the biggest reasons why kids miss school.

Consult your doctor and come up with an action plan. They may recommend different treatment options including allergy shots.

Don’t Miss: Does Sudafed Help With Allergies

Most Insurances Have You Covered

Allergy shots are typically covered by most health insurances, though this may vary depending on your specific plan. Even if your shots are covered by insurance, you still may have to pay a copay for each visit. For some, this cost may be cheaper than the total price of over-the-counter medications and other sick visits related to hay fever symptoms.

If you have questions about your insurance coverage, we encourage you to reach out to your insurer. Otherwise, you can discuss costs with your healthcare provider directly.

When Should A Child Get An Allergy Test

In order to get allergy shots, a child must first get an allergy test in order to determine what exactly they are allergic to. Its a common misconception that children have to be a certain age to get an allergy test infants as young as one month old can tolerate allergy tests.

If youre unsure about whether your child should get an allergy test, consider this: does the discomfort your child feels when theyre having allergy symptoms outweigh the discomfort of getting an allergy test? If you answered yes, an allergy test is appropriate. You can talk with an expert allergist at Pinnacle ENT to figure out the answer to this question.

Recommended Reading: Is Goat Milk Good For Allergies

If My Child Is Allergic When Will I Know

It depends on how often your child has been exposed to the allergen. It typically takes time for an allergy to develop. Each allergic person has a threshold that must be reached before an allergen causes a reaction, and this can take several months. That’s why pollen allergies associated with hay fever usually take a few years to develop.

So if your child inherited the tendency to be allergic to cat dander, she may have no trouble at all for the first few months she’s around Fluffy, or she may have a reduced reaction. But then one day, when the exposure level reaches her threshold, her body will react and mount an offense.

What Is Sublingual Immunotherapy

Watch This Kid Get Two Allergy Shots

Sublingual immunotherapy is a clinically-proven method of improving a child’s allergies and asthma symptoms. Through immunotherapy, the immune system is exposed to trace amounts of allergens. The amount is so small that the body doesnt react.

As treatment progresses, the dose increases and then stabilizes. The immune system becomes desensitized to the allergen and, eventually, stops reacting when exposed to it, which means an end to allergy symptoms for your child!

Unlike allergy shots, which require needle injections in the arm, children do well with allergy drops because they take them by mouth from home.

You May Like: Are Pine Nuts Safe For Peanut Allergy

Resource Center: Allergy Shots

For those suffering from long term allergies, allergen immunotherapy is appealing. This therapy is also known as allergy shots and is a course of treatment for a number of allergies . It works to decrease sensitivity to the trigger allergens and can result in a resolution of symptoms even after the therapy has stopped.

Who Can Benefit From Allergy Shots?

While anyone can receive this type of therapy, doctors do not recommend the treatment for very young children . Also, other medical conditions must always be taken into account and discussed with your care team.

The decision to undergo this therapy should always be a discussion you have with your allergist or immunologist. Some things you may want to include in that discussion:

  • How long have you been suffering from this allergy, and how severe are your symptoms?
  • Are you able to manage your symptoms by controlling your environment and medication?
  • Are you trying to avoid long-term medication?
  • Does your insurance cover the treatment?

How does this therapy actually work?

Think of it as a vaccine. The doctor will inject you with a specific amount of your trigger allergen. Each shot will slowly and gradually include more of the allergen. This helps your body to develop a tolerance and immunity to your allergen.

This happens in two specific phases:

Phase two: Maintenance phase This phase will be different. Once the doctor establishes that your effective dose is reached, there are longer times between treatments .

Why Are Allergy Shots Used

An allergy is when the body’s immune system overreacts to a usually harmless substance. Things that cause allergic reactions are called allergens. Common allergens include dust mites, molds, pollen, pets with fur or feathers, stinging insects, and foods.

The body reacts to the allergen by releasing chemicals, one of which is histamine. This release can cause symptoms such as wheezing, trouble breathing, coughing, a stuffy nose, and more. Some allergic reactions can be serious.

The best way to prevent or control allergy symptoms is to avoid allergens. Allergists look for causes of an allergic reaction with skin tests and blood tests. Based on the test results, they can recommend treatments, including medicines and ways to avoid allergens.

If these treatments don’t help, the allergist might recommend allergy shots.

Don’t Miss: How To Help Bad Allergies

They Can Take A Few Years To Really Work

Allergy shots aren’t a quick fix. While some people may start to feel better during the build-up phase of their treatment, most people won’t experience noticeable improvement until they’ve been in the maintenance phase for six to 18 months, Dr. Dziadzio said.

In fact, a February 2017 JAMA study found that it took three full years for allergy shots for hay fever to be more effective than placebo shots. The maintenance phase for most allergy shots is usually continued for three to five years. Some patients experience long-lasting relief after that, and some may need continued treatment.

How Often Do You Get Allergy Shots

Faster Allergy Shots Nothing to Sneeze At

At first, youâll go to your doctor once or twice a week for several months. Youâll get the shot in your upper arm. It’ll contain a tiny amount of the thing youâre allergic to — pollen, pet dander, mold, dust mites, or bee venom, for example.

The dose will go up gradually until you get to whatâs called a maintenance dose. After that, youâll usually get a shot every 2-4 weeks for 4-5 months. Then your doctor will gradually increase the time between shots until youâre getting them about once a month for 3-5 years. During that time, your allergy symptoms will get better and may even go away.

If your symptoms donât improve after a year of shots, talk with your doctor about other treatment options.

Also Check: What Does Anti Allergy Mean

What Kind Of Allergy Shots Do I Need

The kind of shot you get depends on what youre allergic to. Before starting treatment, youll be tested to identify exactly what substances trigger your symptoms and determine what goes into your treatment.

For example, if you experience a lot of symptoms in the spring, you may have a pollen allergy. Youll be tested to determine exactly what type of pollen your immune system is reacting to. Your immunologist will then formulate allergy shots that are made just for you.

What Types Of Allergies Do Allergy Shots Treat

There are over 1,200 allergen extracts licensed by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. They are designed to work against environmental allergens: pollen, pet dander, mold, cockroaches, dust mites and also bee stings. Allergy shots are not given for and are not effective against food allergies. An allergist might use food allergen extracts to test for specific food allergies, but not for allergy shots.

You May Like: Where Do Pollen Allergies Come From

Who Are The Best Candidates For Allergy Shots

If you are able to avoid the trigger of your allergies or if usual doses of medications control your symptoms, then immunotherapy might not be needed. While allergy shots have been proven effective against inhalant allergies and stinging insect allergies, they are not used for food allergies. If any of the following applies to you, then you may be a candidate for allergy shots:

  • If the medications to control your symptoms , do not work.
  • If the medication used to control your symptoms produces too many side effects.
  • If complications develop.
  • If you have asthma triggered by allergies.
  • If you are at risk of developing anaphylaxis when exposed to an allergen.
  • If medications control your symptoms, but your symptoms flare back up every time you try to reduce your medications.
  • If you cant effectively avoid things that trigger your allergies.
  • If you would rather take a series of allergy shots than daily medications.
  • If you would rather treat the actual problem rather than just use medications to control symptoms.
  • If the cost of the medications is a burden, allergy shots are very cost effective compared to the use of daily prescription medications over several years.

Children can also receive allergy shots. The age in which shots may be recommended to young children is done on a case-by-case basis. Research has also shown that allergy shots can prevent children who have allergic rhinitis from getting asthma.

RELATED ARTICLES

Most Popular