Paediatric Immunology, Allergy and Infectious Diseases

A: If your child develops a rash, swelling of the lips or eyes, vomiting, abdominal pain, wheezing or breathing difficulty after eating, it is advisable to consult a specialist. The doctor will determine whether a skin prick test, blood test or oral food challenge is needed based on the medical history and symptoms.

A: A skin prick test is commonly used to assess immediate allergic reactions, such as food or airborne allergen allergies. A patch test is more commonly used to assess delayed skin allergic reactions. The doctor will choose the appropriate test based on the child’s symptoms and suspected type of allergy.

A: An oral food challenge test is performed under medical supervision. The child is gradually given the suspected food allergen to confirm whether they are truly allergic or to assess whether tolerance has developed. This test must be arranged and monitored by a professional medical team and should not be attempted at home.

A: Desensitisation treatment involves planned exposure to an allergen to gradually train the immune system to reduce allergic reactions. Treatment may include food allergy immunotherapy, sublingual immunotherapy and subcutaneous immunotherapy. Whether it is suitable should be assessed by a doctor.

A: Not necessarily. Whether avoidance is needed depends on the type and severity of the allergy and the test results. Unnecessary food avoidance may affect nutrition and growth. A safe and balanced diet plan should therefore be developed under the guidance of a doctor and dietitian.

A: Not necessarily. Children are more likely to be exposed to infections as they grow. However, if infections are very frequent, severe, take a long time to recover from, or repeatedly require antibiotics, immune function assessment and evaluation for other underlying causes should be considered.

A: Some cases of allergic rhinitis caused by airborne allergens such as dust mites, animal dander, grass or tree pollen may be considered for immunotherapy after doctor’s assessment. Options may include sublingual immunotherapy or subcutaneous immunotherapy to improve long-term allergy symptoms.

A: Biologics may be used for certain severe or difficult-to-control allergic and immune-related conditions. Suitability should be assessed by a specialist based on the child’s diagnosis, disease severity, previous treatment response and overall health condition.