Food Allergies

So many people and families with food allergies have the same story: they found out about their food allergies, were handed epinephrine, and told “good luck”. That’s not how we do things around here. At BYAA, you will be listened to and guided through the treatment plan that best fits your family’s needs.

Testing

After we listen to your history and concerns, our first step is confirming what you’re allergic to so we can treat you properly. Our team may use one or more of these methods:

Skin Testing

We test the foods you could be allergic to on your skin to check for reactions.

Bloodwork

We often pair skin testing with bloodwork which we do in the clinic for patients 18 months and up (yay, no extra appointments!) to check for further evidence of an allergy

Oral Challenges

The “gold standard” of food allergy tests where a patient eats gradually increasing amounts of a food under provider supervision to determine the possible existence of a food allergy

Management Options

Once we have a complete picture of your allergies, lifestyle, and goals, our team can help you determine the best path forward. We can support you through the following management options:


OIT

Oral Immunotherapy is a treatment, under the guidance of an allergist, where you eat gradually increasing amounts of an allergen to retrain your immune system to tolerate that food.

Goals
“Free eating”, being able to eat full servings of the food.
Time Commitment
  • – A minimum six month long buildup phase
  • – Daily at home dosing
Who is this best for?
People who want to eat the food. While we find kids ages 10 months to 4 years have the most success, it is effective at any age and many adult patients go through treatment successfully.

SLIT

Sublingual Immunotherapy, or SLIT for short, is a treatment involving drops, tablets, or other oral medications are held under the tongue which work to reduce the risk of allergic reactions.

Goals
“Bite proof”, being able to tolerate an accidental ingestion.
Time Commitment
  • – A six week buildup period of weekly visits
  • – Daily at home dosing
  • – Still avoiding allergens
Who is this best for?
People who don’t want to eat the food. Many older kids, teens, and adults prefer this treatment option. (We treat ages 5–6 and up.)

Avoidance

Sometimes treatment isn’t what’s best for you or your family, and that’s ok. We will help you determine if avoiding your allergens is the best course of action, and how best to go about it.

Goals
Staying safe and avoiding reactions by avoiding the food.
Time Commitment
  • – Reading food labels
  • – Communicating with schools, daycares, etc. about food allergies
  • – Making sure you have allergen-free food
Who is this best for?
People who don’t have the time or desire to work through SLIT or OIT. Often this includes those allergic to foods not normally used.

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Curious about OIT?

We wrote the book on it, literally! Food Allergy Conqueror, Ollie’s OIT Story follows a little boy with a peanut allergy through his journey with Oral Immunotherapy. It’s a great way to introduce kids to the concept of OIT and answer any questions you might have as a parent.

Check It Out!