Parenting comes with its own unique set of challenges, including a common concern of managing children’s allergies. Whether it’s seasonal allergies, pet dander, or food sensitivities, allergies can put a damper on your child’s life, making it tricky to enjoy various activities, excursions, and experiences.
Fortunately, there are innovative solutions that go beyond the typical treatments that focus on the symptoms instead of the root cause. Enter allergy drops, a form of sublingual immunotherapy that offers promising results in treating allergies in children. In this blog, we’ll explore allergies and the role of allergy drops to help you decide if they’re the right fit for your child.
Understanding Allergies in Children
Before we delve into the specifics of allergy drops and how they help manage allergies, we need to understand the basics of allergies and how they affect children. So, simply put, an allergy is the immune system’s abnormal reaction to a substance that’s typically harmless, such as pollen, pet dander, or specific foods.
When your child is exposed to a substance called an allergen, their immune system triggers a response, causing allergic symptoms. In kids, allergy symptoms often include:
- Skin rashes
- Hives
- Difficulty breathing
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Runny nose
- Itchy eyes
- Stomach upset
The Role of Allergy Immunotherapy
Dealing with allergies can be tricky, especially since most treatments focus on the symptoms, not the allergy. However, the same can’t be said about allergy immunotherapy (AIT), which flips the script to target the allergy instead of the symptoms.
Allergy immunotherapy is designed to help “train” your child’s body to become less sensitive to a particular allergen by reducing the production of “blocking” antibodies that trigger the reaction. The treatment administers a small, incrementally increasing dose of the allergen via injection, drops, or tablets.
Over time, exposure to the allergen helps reduce sensitivity, allowing people with allergies to enjoy various experiences and atmospheres without allergic symptoms. The timeline to results can vary for each person, and while most begin to notice results within a year, the best results typically show up in years two and three.
Sublingual Immunotherapy
Allergy drops are a type of sublingual immunotherapy, which is one of two categories under the AIT umbrella. The drops are administered under the tongue and contain a small amount of the allergen.
Unlike subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT), there are no injections involved with allergy drops, allowing you to complete your child’s treatments from the comfort of your home. SCIT presents higher chances of allergic reactions, so treatments must be administered in a doctor’s office, and monitoring is necessary for a set period after the injection.
However, with allergy drops, adverse reactions are rare, so you can administer the doses at home without medical supervision. The lack of frequent doctor visits is a plus, but for many parents, the lack of frequent injections is what makes allergy drops an excellent fit for their children.
Are Allergy Drops Effective in Treating Allergies?
Allergy immunotherapy is nothing new. The treatment has been around for over a century, so researchers and medical professionals have had ample time to deconstruct it, piece by piece, to learn more about its efficacy.
Over the years, countless studies have researched and documented the efficacy of allergy immunotherapy. It has been widely proven to be highly effective in treating allergies to various allergens in people from varying walks of life.
For example, one such study evaluated existing evidence to determine the long-term effects of allergy immunotherapy for allergic rhinitis. It found that both sublingual and subcutaneous immunotherapy are effective for allergic rhinitis, resulting in clinical benefit and immunological changes consistent with allergen-specific tolerance.
The research is extensive, with new studies emerging from countries around the world every year. The findings back the claims of the efficacy of allergy immunotherapy, making it a worthwhile consideration for parents of children with allergies.
Final Thoughts
Parenting a child with allergies can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By understanding what allergies are and exploring innovative treatments like allergy drops, you can make informed decisions that help them enjoy life free of allergic symptoms. Of course, as with any significant change to your child’s healthcare, it’s important to talk to your doctor before making a decision. Your child’s healthcare provider can evaluate their medical history to help you determine if allergy drops are the right fit for them.
