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Augusta Health physicians answer
your questions
q:
how do i know when it’s time for
allergy shots? and do they really
work anyway?
18 HealthMatters Spring 2011
Most people can manage their
allergy symptoms (such as sneez-
ing, an itchy nose, watery eyes
or congestion) with avoidance
techniques, such as skipping
lia bRuneR, M.D. outdoor activity during the peak
Family practice pollen times of 5 a.m.–10 a.m., or
in lexington
by taking over-the-counter or
prescription medications. But,
not everyone responds to these
methods. In those hard-to-manage cases, your physician
may recommend seeing an allergist for what’s
called immunotherapy, or allergy shots. Allergy shots
work by exposing you to a specific allergen with an
injection. Doses are gradually increased to help you
build resistance and tolerance to the allergen. Allergy
shots can be effective for those whose allergies don’t
seem responsive to other treatments. And they can be
especially effective for children, possibly preventing
the development of asthma in these cases.
However, keep a few things in mind. Allergy shots
require a big time investment; for the first several
months, you may need to visit the allergist up to twice
a week—and it may take you awhile to feel better.
You also need to make sure your insurance covers the
treatment. Allergy shots can be riskier in people with
underlying health conditions or who are on certain
medications, so talk with your physician before
making a decision.
q:
i’m a mom who has food allergies and my
son is just starting table foods. what’s the
best way to introduce him to foods, making
sure that he doesn’t have the same allergic
reactions i do?
Before initiating table foods, discuss your
infant’s feeding schedule with your family
doctor. A family history of food allergies does
increase a child’s risk of having them, too. If
one parent has food allergies, his or her child
c. DaviD
has up to a 40 percent chance of having an
suttOn, M.D.
Family practice allergy, with that risk jumping to 75 percent
in Stuarts Draft
if both parents have food allergies. However,
most people with food allergies are allergic
to eight specific foods that are responsible
for 90 percent of food allergies: tree nuts, peanuts, milk, eggs, soy,
wheat, fish and shellfish—so you shouldn’t be feeding these foods
to your baby for that very reason (Talk with your pediatrician
about when it’s OK to try these eight foods). Most infants start on
an iron-fortified, single-grain baby cereal, working their way up to
pureed meat, vegetables and fruits—aka baby food.
Introduce new foods one at a time, and wait a few days to see
if your baby has a reaction, such as diarrhea, a rash or vomiting. If
a reaction does occur, discuss it with your child’s physician, or seek
emergency help for severe reactions. Some allergies, such as those
to milk, eggs, soybean products and wheat, may be outgrown,
while others, such as allergic reactions to peanuts or shellfish,
will likely not be. On a side note, as many as a quarter of people
think they’re allergic to certain foods but really only 2 percent of
adults and 6 percent of children actually have a true food allergy.
Most people have what’s called a “food intolerance,” which causes
some unpleasant symptoms such as gas, nausea and vomiting but
doesn’t involve the body’s immune system.