Allergy Service

In our Allergy Service we diagnose and manage children with a range of allergies including food, skin, drug and respiratory allergies.

Services

We work closely with other hospital departments plus adult allergy services and laboratories to provide a range of services.

• Specialist allergy nurses do supervised food challenges most days on our Research and Medical Treatment Lounge
• Offer advice to parents, schools and nurseries about managing food allergies
• EpiPen training
• Management of drug and immunisation reactions
• Work closely with the Dermatology and Respiratory departments and hold parallel clinics for children with food allergy and eczema
• Provide expert dietetic advice
• See children with recurrent urticaria and angioedema unrelated to food exposure

We are currently developing a paediatric allergy network for Yorkshire and hope to launch a desensitisation service later in the year.

Visiting the Allergy Service

When a patient visits us we take a detailed history and may perform skin prick testing to help diagnose allergy. On occasion a blood test may be required.

If a diagnosis is made, we provide allergy plans and advice on things to avoid and how to manage future reactions. A child is regularly reviewed in the allergy clinic while there are ongoing allergy concerns.

Children may be able to see several allergy related specialists at the same appointment.

Food allergies

A dietician is available in almost all outpatient allergy clinics to help with avoidance advice, supplements and special weaning diets for infants.

If there comes a time when we feel a child has ‘grown out’ of their food allergy then we perform a food challenge in hospital. These are carried out most mornings on the day care unit by nurse specialists.

Further support

• Anaphylaxis Campaign – help and advice on anaphalaxysis and severe allergies
• National Eczema Society – UK charity dedicated to improving the quality of life of people with eczema and their carers