Health Information
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More on Our Expertise
- All About Allergy
- All About the Immune System
- Allergic Rhinitis
- Allergy
- Animals and Allergies
- Avoiding Asthma Triggers
- Cold vs. Allergy: How Do I Know the Difference?
- Common Variable Immunodeficiency (CVID)
- Contact Dermatitis
- Diagnostic Procedures for Allergy
- DiGeorge Syndrome
- Dust Mites
- Egg Allergy Diet
- Food Allergies
- Foods
- Immune Disorders
- Insect Stings
- Latex
- Milk Allergy Diet
- Mold
- Peanut Allergy Diet
- Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID)
- Shellfish Allergy Diet
- Soy Allergy Diet
- Symptomatic Conditions of Allergy
- Treatment for Allergy
- Tree Nut Allergy Diet
- Types of Allergens
- Urticaria / Hives
- X-linked Agammaglobulinemia
Allergy and Immunology
Our Expertise
The Allergy and Immunology Division's board-certified specialists provide outpatient and inpatient consultation for a wide range of allergic diseases and primary immunodeficiencies, including:
- asthma
- anaphylaxis
- rhinosinusitis
- allergic rhinitis (hay fever)
- contact dermatitis
- drug reactions
- insect allergies
- latex allergies
- allergic skin disorders (eczema or atopic dermatitis, hives or urticaria and angiodema)
- food hypersensitivities
- primary immunodeficiencies
- hereditary angioneurotic edema, a genetic condition in which children lack an inhibitor protein that leads to swelling or angioedema. Patients can develop recurrent attacks of swelling of the voice box (larynx) that can compromise breathing, swelling of the extremities, and swelling of the intestines that causes abdominal pain.
- eosinophilic gastroenteritis-a disease of the immune system that affects the gastrointestinal system
Diagnostic and Treatment Services
Common allergens include the waste products from dust mites (tiny bugs invisible to the naked eye), proteins found in pet dander, saliva and urine, molds inside and outside the home, tree, grass and weed pollen, and cockroach droppings. Other possible substances that can cause allergic reactions include venom from insect stings, foods, food additives, natural rubber latex, or medications.
In many cases, testing for allergic conditions can be avoided by first obtaining an in-depth and careful medical history. When a patient's history suggests that testing is appropriate, we employ a highly targeted approach, focusing only on the areas that we consider suspicious. Testing may include:
- spirometry: the most common of the pulmonary function tests to measure lung function; it is an important tool used for assessing conditions such as asthma. Measuring large and small airway function and treating abnormalities are crucial to asthma management.
- skin prick testing-allows a small amount of allergen to enter the skin through a small prick; if an allergy is present, a small hive will appear at the site of testing over 15-20 minutes
- patch testing-for evaluation of allergies by exposure to different substances that may be touching the skin such as those found, for example, in latex, jewelry, fragrances or soaps. It involves applying various test substances to the skin under adhesive tape that are left in place for a period of time; the skin is then examined for a response
- ImmunoCAP testing-a blood test for assessing the presence of specific IgE antibodies
- rhinoscopy-an examination of the sinuses and nasal passages with a flexible, fiber optic tube to help diagnose upper airway conditions
Our physicians offer a full array of treatment options that may include the latest and most effective corticosteroids, an anti-inflammatory medication for patients with asthma; bronchodilators; and, in some cases, immunotherapy, or allergy shots, which can help the patient develop tolerance to the allergens. If an environmental source is triggering the allergy, our staff explores measures to control or eliminate this allergin.
Food Allergy Center
There is a clear rise today in the incidence of food allergies. Infants may be allergic to milk, eggs, wheat and soy, while older children may have allergies to peanuts, nuts, fish and shellfish. With a food allergy, the body reacts as though that particular food product is harmful. As a result, the body's immune system creates antibodies to fight the food allergen, the substance in the food that triggers the allergy. Symptoms might include an itchy skin rash, a tingling in the tongue, lips, or throat, swelling, abdominal pain, or difficulty breathing. In some cases the reaction can be severe, and in rare instances, fatal.
At the Division's new Food Allergy Center, our staff help to determine what foods a patient is allergic to by first performing skin tests or ImmunoCAP testing-actually giving the patient the food to provoke a possible reaction. If there still remains uncertainty, then a food challenge may be performed. With a fully equipped treatment area, staff can perform food challenges and treat a reaction if one should occur. Patients are observed and monitored for an extended period of time depending on the history of the prior reaction.
Contact
- Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
- (212) 305-2300
