Managing allergies in children can be a daunting task, especially when multiple of your kiddos have allergies. Allergy immunotherapy can be an excellent solution. It’s designed to desensitize the immune system to specific allergens, providing long-term relief from symptoms.
However, coordinating this treatment for several children requires careful planning and a positive approach. With the right strategies in place, you can ensure your kiddos receive the care they need while keeping the process as stress-free as possible. Here are a few practical tips to get you started.
What is Allergy Immunotherapy?
Allergy immunotherapy (AIT) is a specialized treatment that desensitizes the body to a particular allergen. It works by repeatedly exposing your child’s immune system to an allergen via tablets, drops, or an injection. This exposure gives your child’s body the chance to build an allergen-specific tolerance.
Once this tolerance is achieved, your child may experience little to no allergic symptoms, even when exposed to the allergen. Of course, every child is different, so results may vary.
Oftentimes, it takes two to three years to see significant improvements. However, you might start to notice the first signs of change within the first year.
Types of Allergy Immunotherapy
There are two types of allergy immunotherapy: sublingual and subcutaneous. Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) involves allergy drops or allergy tablets administered under the tongue. Each dose of the drops or tablets contains a small dose of the allergen, delivering it to your child’s body to work toward an allergen-specific tolerance.
Subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) involves allergy shots administered under the skin. Each shot contains an injectable form of the allergen, giving your child’s immune system the chance to build a tolerance.
Practical Tips to Coordinate Your Kids’ Allergy Treatment
Juggling allergy immunotherapy for multiple children can be tricky. Here are a few practical tips to streamline the process:
Schedule Appointments on the Same Day
Juggling different appointments for different days for each of your kiddos can be a hassle, especially if you already have a busy schedule. So, make it easy (or easier) on yourself by scheduling your appointments on the same day.
This will probably take some planning in advance, especially if you need more than two or three appointments. So, if possible, schedule out several weeks’ worth of appointments for your kids, including all appointments on the same day and within the same time window.
This way, you won’t be making trips back and forth from your child’s allergist or doctor for each appointment.
Make It a Positive Experience
If a child decides they hate going to the doctor or allergist, getting them to go willingly can be nigh on impossible. It can become a whole fiasco, possibly spiraling into tantrums and tears before every appointment. So, to avoid the stress associated with such a situation, do your best to make each experience positive.
After each appointment, bring your children out for a smoothie or to their favorite playground. Or, reward them with a sticker or time playing their favorite game. It doesn’t have to be anything huge, but after every appointment, reward them for completing the appointment. Make it a routine, ensuring they associate the allergist or doctor’s office with something positive (even if the injection dampens the mood).
Enlist the Older Kids’ Help
If you have older kiddos, enlist their help in the appointments. It could be as simple as them talking up the treatment, encouraging the younger children to complete each injection for the benefits it provides. Younger children look up to and trust their older siblings, so the older siblings’ encouragement can go a long way.
If your older kids also need allergy immunotherapy, ask them to help you make the experience positive for the younger children (provided they’re comfortable doing so). Having the older child go first and making the injection seem like a breeze can go a long way in streamlining the injection for your younger kiddos.
Consider Allergy Drops as an Alternative
If visits to your child’s allergist or doctor for injections are too much, consider allergy drops as an alternative. While allergy shots have their merits, they’re often unpopular among kiddos, especially those who don’t like needles.
So, if that’s the case, allergy drops can be an excellent alternative. They, like allergy shots, are highly effective but, unlike allergy shots, don’t involve an injection or visit to the doctor. Instead, you can administer drops under your child’s tongue from the comfort of your own home.
It’s quick, easy, and can be done whenever works best for you. With this option, you won’t need to worry about carving time out of a busy schedule for appointments, carting all your children to the doctor’s office, or worrying about how to streamline the injections. It’s as simple as a few quick drops under the tongue, and just like that, you’re done!
The Road to an Allergy-Free Household
If your children suffer from allergies, allergy immunotherapy can be a powerful solution to help them find relief. With time and consistency, this treatment can dramatically improve symptoms, potentially allowing your child to be around an allergen with little to no discomfort.
While managing allergy treatment for multiple children can be tricky, there are strategies that can help, such as booking appointments on the same day or keeping things simple and convenient with allergy drops. It can seem like a big undertaking, but as the results begin to appear, you’ll find that your efforts paid off.
