Frequently Asked Questions

Usually not — you can book directly. Some insurance plans do require one, so ask about your plan when you call.

We see children and adults — newborns on up. Infant eczema and early food-allergy questions are two of the most common reasons families first come in — you are not too early.

It depends on the current schedule. Call the office and our front desk will help you find the next available appointment.

Plan for 45 to 60 minutes, plus roughly 30 more if skin testing is done the same day. Follow-ups are usually shorter.

Yes, if skin testing is likely — stop non-drowsy antihistamines such as cetirizine, loratadine or fexofenadine about 5 days beforehand, because they suppress the test and can hide a real allergy. Keep asthma controllers, nasal sprays and all other daily medicines going. Unsure? Call us and read us the labels.

It isn’t an injection — it’s a light scratch on the back or forearm, more surprising than painful. Positive spots itch like a mosquito bite for a few minutes. Most children are fine once they see it’s not a needle; we explain everything before we do it, to them as well as to you.

Because broad panels produce positives to foods people eat happily every day. A positive test means the immune system recognizes something — not necessarily that you or your child will react to it. Acting on those false alarms leads to unnecessary food avoidance, which carries real nutritional and social costs and can even increase the risk of developing a true allergy. We test what the history points to.

The patient eats the food in gradually increasing amounts in our office, with staff and emergency medication right there, while we watch for a reaction. It takes a few hours and it is the most definitive test we have. Plenty of them end with a food coming back onto the menu.

Many do — milk, egg, wheat and soy allergies are commonly outgrown during childhood. Peanut, tree nut, fish and shellfish allergies are more likely to persist, though not always. That’s why we re-check periodically instead of assuming a diagnosis is permanent.

Immunotherapy retrains the immune system by giving tiny, slowly increasing amounts of what you are allergic to. It’s the only treatment that changes the allergy itself rather than managing symptoms. Expect weekly visits at first, then monthly maintenance, over a course of several years. Every visit includes a 30-minute observation period in the office.

Yes — sublingual drops or tablets taken under the tongue suit some patients and some allergens, and can be given at home after the first dose. For selected food allergies, oral immunotherapy (OIT) gradually builds tolerance. We’ll talk through which, if any, fits you or your child.

Usually no. People change, allergies change, and doses should change with them. We aim for the smallest amount of medicine that keeps you fully active, and we step down deliberately when control has been good — not by accident when a prescription runs out.

Inhaled controller medicines work at very low doses delivered straight to the airway, and decades of use in children support their safety at standard doses. The bigger risk we see is undertreated asthma — missed school, night-time coughing, emergency visits. It’s a fair question and we’re happy to go through the specifics of your child’s dose.

We accept most major plans — see the full list on our insurance page. Call with your card in hand and our front desk can help check your benefits, including whether a referral or prior authorization is needed.

It depends on your plan and deductible. Ask our front desk about costs before testing. If the recommended plan isn’t affordable, tell us and we can talk through other options.