Allergen immunotherapy is safe for children and has a well-established safety record spanning decades of clinical use. When given under medical supervision with appropriate patient selection, the risk of serious reactions is very low. The treatment works by gradually re-educating the immune system to tolerate the specific allergen rather than reacting to it - and this process takes time. Most patients notice meaningful improvement in symptoms within the first 6 to 12 months of the maintenance phase, with the full benefit becoming apparent over the course of the 3 to 5 year treatment period. Importantly, the benefits of immunotherapy persist for several years after the treatment course is completed, making it the only allergy treatment with genuine long-term disease modification rather than symptom suppression while treatment continues.
Written by Dr. Prasad Muley, MBBS, MD, FAAAI (Fellow of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology), Consultant Paediatrician and Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Specialist, Gujarat. Phone: +91 9879609195.
