Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
When you or your child suffer from allergies, struggles with asthma, or experiences
recurrent infections, we offer expert care, education and support from the best allergy-immunology
physicians in the area.
Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
When you or your child suffer from allergies, struggles with asthma, or experiences
recurrent infections, we offer expert care, education and support from the best allergy-immunology
physicians in the area.
About
Allergies happen when the body’s immune system reacts strongly to something it considers
a threat. These reactions can cause discomforts such as swelling of the airways,
hands and feet, watery eyes, coughing and breathing problems, or itchy raised skin
rashes. Sometimes reactions can be severe and cause a patient to go into anaphylactic
shock.
For asthma sufferers these reactions can cause narrowing or tightening of the airways
and sometimes build-up of mucus, causing life-threatening asthma attacks.
Common allergies we see
It’s important to identify allergens, and your child’s reaction to them, as soon as
possible so that their symptoms can be treated. Once treated, your child will be
much more comfortable, and your mind will be put to ease. Allergens we identify are:
- Food allergies, to things like peanuts and tree nuts, wheat, milk, or eggs.
- Venom allergies, to stinging insects such as bees, wasps, hornets and fire ants.
- Environmental allergies, to pollens, indoor dust, mold or animals.
- Drug allergies, to penicillin and other drugs.
Why Choose Us
The Children’s Hospital of Georgia’s Allergy-Immunology Section is affiliated with Augusta University Medical Center. Together they provide exceptional
asthma, allergy and immunology care for patients offering:
- Expertise: Nationally recognized, board-certified physicians who specialize in allergy, asthma,
and immunology care.
- Team approach: We coordinate care by communicating with primary care physicians, ear, nose and
throat specialists, dermatologists and other specialists, to determine the best treatment
options. All of our doctors are supported by respiratory therapists and certified
asthma educators.
- Asthma education: A patient educator works with children and adults to develop individualized asthma
care plans, to manage and treat their symptoms.
- On-call after hours physician: Patients have 24/7 access to physicians.
- Patient-and-family-centered care: We are pioneers in this concept believing that patients and families play a major
part of making decisions and providing input into their care or their children’s care.
Our dedicated labs and centers
We have facilities to help us diagnose and treat you or your child. If additional
assessment is needed you or your child may need to be seen in our:
Conditions We Treat
Allergy symptoms can be wide ranging. We see adults and children for many kinds of
allergic reactions including:
- Asthma and breathing problems, caused by swelling of the airway after exposure to allergy triggers.
- Sinus issues and nasal allergies, causing congestion, runny nose and sneezing.
- Skin reactions, such as hives and eczema that happen as a result of coming in contact with an allergy
trigger.
- Eosinophilic esophagitis, allergic reactions in the esophagus.
- Chronic hives and swelling, which may be otherwise unexplained.
Diagnostics and Treatments
We use the latest tests and procedures to diagnose and treat adults and children with
asthma and other allergic diseases, including:
- Blood tests, to see if antibodies called IgE are produced to an allergen.
- Breathing assessments, in our Pulmonary Function Testing (PFT) Lab to test lung function.
- Immune deficiency evaluations, to determine why a person has repeated or unusual infections.
- Skin tests, by either a pin prick (most common) or injection under the skin of a small amount
of allergen.
- Venom testing, for insect sting allergy
- Food and drug allergy testing and challenges
Treatment and management
Allergic symptoms disrupt sleep, play, and life in general. We work with you or your
child to find the solution to better breathing and comfort so everyone can get back
to living normally. We offer:
- Breathing treatments, using a nebulizer to administer medication to help with breathing.
- Inhalers, to treat long term symptoms, as well as, sudden onset breathing difficulty.
- Allergen Immunotherapy, a series of allergy shots given to reduce allergic reactions.
- Peak flow meter, to measure how fast you can blow air out of your lungs, this helps determine medication
levels.
- Venom desensitization, to reduce life threatening allergic reactions to insect stings.
Support for Your Child
