On this episode, Sue talks with board certified allergist/immunologist Michael Borts, MD about things parents should know regarding physician-supervised oral food challenges.

Baked Egg Food Challenge

At some point, your allergist may suggest conducting an oral food challenge for your child. The prospect can be quite frightening, but the diagnostic tool can often lead to the addition of a previously allergic food back into your child’s diet. Sue and Dr. Borts discuss the following questions parents ask about oral food challenges:

• What is a food challenge?
• Why would my child have a food challenge?
• What foods are typically “challenged”?
• How should I prepare my child for a food challenge?
• What if my child is ill on the day of the challenge?
• What happens before and during the challenge?
• What if my child has a reaction?
• How soon can my child have another challenge?
• What can I expect if my child passes the challenge?
• Is there a chance my child could become allergic again?

Oral Food Challenge Studies:

• Food Allergy Sensitization and Presentation in Siblings of Food Allergic Children
• Oral Food Challenge and Food Allergy Quality of Life in Caregivers of Food Allergic Children

About Michael Borts, MD

Dr. Borts completed his Fellowship training at St. Louis University and Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in Allergy and Clinical Immunology in 1989 and have practiced in the St. Louis area since then seeing adults and children with allergic and immunologic disease. He currently practices at the Allergy, Asthma & Sinus Care Center in St. Louis with Dr. Manoj Warrier and Dr. Josie Vitale. Dr. Borts is also Adjunct Faculty in the Division of Allergy at St. Louis University and participate in the Fellowship training program in Allergy and Immunology at St. Louis University. Dr. Borts has been involved in the management of food allergy since his training at Cardinal Glennon doing food challenges as early as 1987.

The post Oral Food Challenges – What You Need to Know appeared first on Parenting Food Allergies.