Kids May 'Learn' to Tolerate Food Allergens
Researchers also are not sure how deeply ingrained the tolerance becomes in a child undergoing oral or sublingual immunotherapy.
"Is there ever a time you can stop taking it, or does it only work as long as you're taking your maintenance dose?" Pistiner asked. "Does it give you complete ability to eat that food, or does it only help prevent reactions when trace amounts of the foods are consumed?"
For example, if you're allergic to pine nuts, will immunotherapy allow you to eat pine nuts as you like, or will it only prevent you from having an allergic reaction when you eat a food processed on equipment that also processes pine nuts?
The doctors agree on one other point: This is absolutely not something a person should try at home.
The amounts of food given allergic children are measured out precisely, and delivered under the watchful eyes of doctors ready to step in and treat any side effects or allergic reactions at a moment's notice.
"This is an experimental therapy that should only be undertaken under the direction of a trained allergist," Pistiner said. "Doing this at home is absolutely not safe."
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