Allergy Self Help & Choosing An Allergists For Your Child
When child allergies are worse than just a mild hassle, it is time to search for more specialized help for your allergic child. In the case of immunology treatment for allergies, that specialized assistance will come in the form of an allergist, specializing in children hopefully. Doing some of your own self-help research is also very valuable. It is our assumption that you are on this site to help yourself in the quest to rid your child of allergies.
Family physicians and general pediatricians are capable of providing very good basic allergy management for your children, but sometimes child allergies go beyond the scope of the expertise and experience of the general practitioner. You may want to look for an allergist for your child when
- Allergies are poorly controlled
- You want to learn more about child allergy treatment alternatives
- Allergies are significantly impacting your child’s academic and social life and activities
- You and your child’s doctor are unable to identify allergy triggers
- Allergies are causing secondary health issues such as chronic infection or asthma
- Multiple allergies exist which require measured management plans
- You need more information regarding child allergies and control than your pediatrician/family physician can provide
- Your child needs allergy testing
- You are interested in allergy shots/immunotherapy for your child
- Your child’s primary care doctor refers you.
Self-Help in the form of reading the options mentioned on this website is a big help but allergists for children can provide all of the services mentioned above and there are a few other advantages to seeking the services of allergists for children. Below are some more benefits.
- An allergist often has more time to spend with you and your child, and more time to spend thoroughly researching your child’s medical and allergy history
- Allergists are more familiar with the source and variety of allergens, and so can sometimes identify allergens more accurately
- An allergist has more time to provide parent and child education regarding living with allergies and child allergy prevention
- An allergist’s office is equipped to perform allergy testing, usually on-the-spot
- An allergist is current on the most up-to-date allergy treatments and testing procedures, including advances in medications; allergists for children often know about better therapy and allergy treatment options before a general practitioner will
How Should You Look For Allergists For Children
First, read all you can about allergies in children and do so of your own research with the information on sites such as this one. Allergists for children are doctors who have specialized beyond pediatric or family medicine; after completing the 3-year internal medicine or pediatric residency, an allergist must complete an additional 2 years of study in allergy, asthma, and immunology. Upon successful completion of the 2-year fellowship, allergists for children become Board-Certified by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.
Some allergists for children specialize and become pediatric allergists; pediatric allergists are less abundant than general allergists who treat both children and adults with allergies, and most children will do very well under the care of a general allergist. If there is not a pediatric allergist near you, start by seeing a recommended general allergist, and go to a pediatric allergist if you find one you would like to try.
Most importantly, you want to be sure your child’s allergist is board-certified, such as by the American Board of Allergy and Immunology (ABAI). This indicates that the doctor has successfully completed post-graduate immunological study.
You will want to look for allergists with experience dealing with children, not only because they know children’s allergies well, but also because they know how to interact with kid patients. Of course, practical matters such as insurance may sway your decision as well.
If your child is being referred by his or her pediatric doctor, he or she will give you the name or names of allergists for children they generally send their patients to. For more references, try speaking with parents of children you know with allergies. You can also go to the websites of professional organizations like the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI). Your health insurance provider is also a good resource for referrals, as they will only send you to allergists for children who are covered by your plan.
Choosing doctors for your child, such as your child’s allergy doctor, is sure to be an issue of concern with you as you try to get your child the best care possible for his or her allergies. By using those resources available to you, and speaking to the family physician that you trust, you are sure to find a good allergist who can see to all your child allergy needs and begin t get them resolved.
Some allergy resources are:
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology