| How Does OIT Differ?

The Future of Food Allergy Treatment

OIT is the future for food allergy treatment. We truly believe this is a life changing treatment and are very excited to offer it to our community. We are constantly striving to provide the most compassionate and up-to-date care in allergy, asthma and immunology and continue to increase our treatment options as new possibilities arise in this specialty.

The Treatment of Food Allergies

Specific dosing varies from food to food, but the general concept includes an initial escalation day of serial, increasing, low doses of the food, followed by a buildup phase wherein a single higher dose is administered in the clinic followed by a 45 minute observation period, then the same dose is taken daily at home until the next visit 1-2 weeks later. This continues until a maintenance dose of the food is safely consumed which is generally a meal equivalent of the culprit food. There will be some circumstances where a “bite proof dose” will be the target, for highly allergic individuals. This will reduce severe reactions due to accidental exposures.

Dose Escalations for Children

The majority of children undergoing OIT can tolerate the dose escalations well. However, Immediate IgE mediated allergic reactions are expected and may occur. The children are carefully monitored during these dose escalations and reactions will be quickly reversed and/or managed. Identifying an avoidable risk factor and reducing the next doses, should then allow resumptions of scheduled dosing. Immediate or delayed gastrointestinal problems can slow down the escalation process considerably and is the most common side effect.