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Treatment Options for Allergic Kids

As many as 4 out of 10 kids suffer with allergies*.  Common symptoms of kids allergies include the following.

  • Runny or stuffy nose
  • Sneezing
  • Eczema or hives
  • Asthma or wheezing
  • Chronic ear infections
  • Upset stomach (from food allergies)
Medications
Antihistamines, decongestants, asthma inhalers, etc.Pros:

  • Can work quickly and effectively for short-term seasonal allergies

Cons:

  • Can have side effects
  • Treat symptoms only (not the underlying allergy)
 Allergy Shots
(aka “Allergy immunotherapy”)Pros:

  • Treat the underlying allergy (not just symptoms) for a lasting solution
  • Avoid side effects of synthetic medications

Cons:

  • Not usually prescribed for kids under 7
  • Require frequent trips to the doctor for shots
 Under-the-Tongue Allergy Drops
(aka “Sublingual immunotherapy)Pros:Same pros as allergy shots plus:

  • Easier to administer than shots (can be taken at home)
  • Safer than shots
  • Can be prescribed for younger kids than shots can

Cons:

  • Some insurance companies do not cover

kids allergy treatment
*American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology

About The Author

Stuart H. Agren, M.D.

Stuart H. Agren, M.D. completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Utah and went on to earn his Doctor of Medicine from Tulane University School of Medicine in 1974. He completed additional training at L.D.S. Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah and then established his private medical practice starting in 1975. Dr. Agren completed a mini-residency in Industrial Medicine at the Robert Johnson School of Medicine at Rutgers University and also completed training to become a certified Medical Review Officer.

Dr. Agren was the Medical Director at TRW and McDonnell Douglas in Mesa, Arizona and at Stauffer Chemical and Kennecott Copper in Salt Lake City, Utah. He also served as an adjunct faculty member at Arizona State University.

In his private medical practice, Dr. Agren specialized in family practice and allergy. In his work as a private practice allergist, he was one of the first doctors in the country to prescribe sublingual immunotherapy to his patients as an alternative to subcutaneous immunotherapy (allergy shots). He has also been a trailblazer in the field of food allergy treatment and research, developing a program to treat multiple food allergies simultaneously using sublingual immunotherapy. Dr. Agren has been featured on local CBS, NBC, and ABC news affiliates and won the peer-nominated “Top Doc” award from Phoenix Magazine.

After 20 years in private practice, Dr. Agren became the Founder and President of AllergyEasy, which helps primary care physicians around the country offer allergy testing and sublingual immunotherapy treatment to their patients. Over 200 physicians in over 32 states use the AllergyEasy program to help their patients overcome environmental and food allergies and asthma.