Exton Allergy and Asthma Associates

Allergy Skin Testing is performed for environmental allergens (grasses, trees, weeds, dust mite, animal dander, cockroach, and mold), food allergens, stinging insect venom, as well as medication or vaccine allergies. Skin testing is performed with a state-of-the-art, needle-free, rapid method to the most common allergens in our area. Infants, children and adults can be comfortably and reliably tested in about thirty minutes.

Allergen Immunotherapy is one of the most effective treatments for allergies and asthma that often results in elimination of symptoms and the need for allergy medications such as antihistamines and decongestants, which only treat the symptoms of an allergic reaction. Immunotherapy treats the underlying cause of the allergic reaction, allowing your body to gradually become tolerant to the allergens that trigger your symptoms. Allergen immunotherapy is effective for the treatment of environmental allergies caused by pollen, dust mite, mold, cockroach and animal dander, as well as stinging insect venom allergy. The effectiveness of allergen immunotherapy varies depending on allergen involved, and results in a significant improvement in at least 80% of individuals. Immunotherapy is administered by injections in our office under supervision of an allergist and involves administering gradually increasing doses of allergens. This gradual introduction of allergens will allow safe and effective build-up of your natural immunity and will eliminate your symptoms after natural exposure to those allergens.

--

Evaluating food and medication allergies requires a detailed and focused history and targeted skin testing. After we identify the food responsible for the reaction, we provide in-depth education to ensure that the patient or parents can successfully recognize and avoid the culprit that may be hidden among several other ingredients to prevent any further allergic reactions. Hands-on training is also provided to teach you how to use epinphrine in an emergency case after accidental ingestion of a food allergen. Once we confirm a medication allergy, we work with you, your primary healthcare provider and other medical specialists to identify alternative medications that will provide a safe and effective treatment. If an alternative cannot be found, drug desnsitization will be considered in a hospital setting under intensive medical monitoring.

An Oral Ingestion Challenge is performed to confirm the absence of allergic sensitization to a food or medication in a medically supervised specialty practice environment following a negative allergy skin test. Under the supervision of an allergist, in the controlled office environment, we can determine if you can safely reintroduce into your diet a food, or take a medication that has been suspected to cause an allergic reaction.

Personalized Treatment Plans are developed uniquely for each patient with environmental control as the first step in order to reduce allergen exposure and decrease the need for medications. Medication use is tailored to each individual’s needs and preferences, and monitored to ensure the necessity and effectiveness of each medication and to avoid any potential side effects. A unique mixture of allergen extracts for immunotherapy is prescribed by our physicians based on each patient's specific allergies and needs. Immunotherapy vials are prepared for each individual in our extract lab and labeled with identifying information of each specific patient.

Pulmonary Function Testing evaluates your lung function capacity and determines if it has been compromised by asthma or other respiratory conditions. State-of-the-art, computerized lung function testing is available for adults and children as young as four years. This test is employed to monitor asthma control and to evaluate adults and children with chest symptoms including difficulty breathing, chest tightness, shortness of breath or chronic cough.