Desensitization

The increasing incidence of allergy world wide especially in the developed countries, is a concern.

Allergy is all about the body’s immune system perceiving things in the environment as “threats” or foreign and producing antibodies to attack them.

True allergy (as opposed to various sensitivities) involves the over production of allergy antibodies called IgE (all the antibodies the body produces are given certain numbers: IgA, IgM, IgG) and these attack proteins in foods (eg: peanut, egg, milk etc.) and aeroallergens (protein particles in the air such as house dust mite, pollens and animal fur) to cause reactions by releasing histamine and other chemicals from cells around the body.

Immunotherapy or desensitization has been around a long time to try and restrict or “turn off” the body’s production of IgE.

Desensitization to house dust mite, pollens and bee stings by regular subcutaneous injections (for at least 2 years) has been available in Australia for more than 20 years.

Recently, immunotherapy or desensitization has been carried out by drops under the tongue on an every day or 2 – 3 times per week.  This technique is being used extensively in Europe and has many advantages over the injection method.  It is much safer, can be carried out at home, is less painful (most children do not like injections) and seems to be as effective as the injection method.  However, the course is for 3 – 5 years.

Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) treatment is now available for desensitising children as young as 5 or 6 years with persistent hayfever/rhinitis in particular but also for asthma.  It is not available for foods or bee sting allergy.

If you wish for more information about immunotherapy, please contact us here at Peninsula Paediatrics – 03 9781 3711