immune disorders
Food Allergy
Treatment of Food Allergy
Antihistamines and sometimesepinephrineto treat an allergic reaction An elimination diet Sometimes drugs to block the allergic reaction Sometimes allergen immunotherapy (desensitization) People with severe food allergies should carry antihistamines to take immediately if a reaction starts. Antihistamines are useful for relieving Hives and swelling. People should also carry a self-injecting syringe of People with food allergies must eliminate the foods that trigger their allergies from their diet. is a Monoclonal Antibodies manufactured to block the activity of IgE (which is produced by the immune system and causes the allergic symptoms). Other monoclonal antibodies, such asdupilumab, are being studied as treatment for peanut allergy. If an allergen cannot be avoided, desensitization immunotherapy is a process that tries to teach the person's immune system not to react to that allergen. The person is given progressively larger doses of the allergen. The first dose is so small that even an allergic person will not react to it. However, the small dose starts to get the person's immune system used to the allergen. Then the dose is gradually increased. Each increase is so small that the immune system still does not react. The dose is increased until the person is not reacting to the same amount of allergen that once caused symptoms. Immunotherapy for food allergies is typically given by mouth. It is most widely used for peanut allergy in people who are 4 to 17 years old. Desensitization to various other foods is being studied. For peanut allergy, people are given a powder of peanut allergen by mouth. On the first day, five gradually increased doses are taken in a health care facility. A doctor must observe the first day's treatment because exposure to a high dose of the allergen too soon can cause a sometimes dangerous allergic reaction. People then take a dose every day. The dose is increased every 2 weeks until the maintenance dose is reached. This process usually takes about 5 months. Each time the dose is increased, the first dose must be taken in a health care facility. People take the maintenance dose indefinitely. People must continue to take peanut allergen powder daily to remain desensitized. Also, they still need to maintain a strict peanut-free diet, but desensitization reduces the risk of severe allergic reactions (including anaphylaxis) to peanuts consumed unknowingly. 