Asthma Education Program
We welcome new patients of all ages with asthma or suspected asthma. Our asthma education program includes a medical history, physical exam, and when indicated, specific skin or blood tests to determine if allergies are playing a role in asthma.
We place specific emphasis on asthma education including the proper use of asthma medications, spacing devices, peak-flow meters, and inhalers. We place special emphasis on environmental controls within the home, school, or workplace to control the specific irritants or allergens that trigger your asthma.
Food Allergy Education Program
Due to the recent epidemic of food allergy, particularly in infants and young children, we have intensified our food allergy education program that includes appropriate history, physical examination, specific skin and/or blood tests and, when indicated, oral food challenges to determine which foods may be triggering allergic symptoms.
We emphasize food allergy education - instructing patients regarding food avoidance measures in the home, school and workplace and how to use emergency epinephrine devices such as the EpiPen. We focus on education for all family members and care givers, particularly in young children away from home or in the school setting. We also conduct several seminars per year on asthma and food allergies for patients and school nurses on the North Shore.
Drug Allergy Program
Drug allergies present a major problem for health care consumers in America. Several drugs can be tested for and it can be determined if patients are allergic to specific drugs such as penicillin or local anesthetics.
When indicated, we may conduct careful testing or desensitization procedures in selected patients with unusual drug reactions. We may also perform oral drug challenges when clinically indicated.
Skin Allergy Program
The two major skin diseases an allergist deals with are chronic urticaria and atopic dermatitis (eczema). Our staff is fully equipped to determine the triggers of acute or chronic urticaria (hives) and angioedema (swelling). We also evaluate many patients with contact dermatitis and have a full program available for proper treatment of all allergic skin diseases.
Immunotherapy Program
Many of the diseases that allergists treat, including allergic rhinitis, asthma and stinging insect allergy, can be successfully treated by allergen immunotherapy ('allergy shots'). This involves an extended period of injections containing the substance(s) to which you are allergic. These injections raise your tolerance for the allergen. Immunotherapy is the only treatment that lowers your sensitivity to the offending allergens. Individuals with pollen sensitivity, dust mite allergy, mold allergy, animal allergy and stinging insect hypersensitivity can benefit from allergy injections when medication and environmental controls are ineffective. Injections myst be given weekly initially. Once 'immunity' is built up, the interval between injections can be lengthened gradually to every three to four weeks. The average treatment period is three to five years, but this time frame varies with each patient.