The Pediatric Allergy Clinic at Metropolitan Hospital is fully equipped and organized, aiming to provide modern, personalized diagnosis and management of allergic conditions in children.
In a friendly and comfortable environment, designed with the needs of our young patients in mind, we take a holistic approach to each case, offering the best possible care and aiming to improve their quality of life.
Our goal is to provide comprehensive allergy management through prevention and personalized diagnostic tools. At the same time, we place special emphasis on educating both the patient and their family, so they can recognize and appropriately manage allergic reactions.
What do we mean by allergy?
Allergy is an immunologically mediated hypersensitivity reaction that can lead to a wide range of conditions. Therefore, the term “allergy” does not refer to a single disease but to a mechanism that triggers allergic conditions.
In allergic patients, the immune system mistakenly identifies normally harmless substances—such as pollen, food, medications, or insect stings—as threats, reacting excessively to these environmental factors.
Which allergic conditions do we treat?
The Pediatric Allergy Clinic manages the full spectrum of allergic diseases, including:
- Allergic Rhinitis – Conjunctivitis: Inflammation of the nasal and eye mucosa caused by airborne allergens. Depending on symptom seasonality, it may be seasonal or year-round.
- Allergic Asthma: A chronic inflammatory disease of the airways with symptoms such as cough, wheezing, and shortness of breath, varying in intensity and timing.
- Dermatological Conditions:
- Atopic Dermatitis: Chronic inflammation of the skin’s outer layer, with periods of flare-ups and remission. Symptoms usually begin in infancy (<6 months) and may persist into adolescence or adulthood.
- Urticaria and Angioedema
- Food Allergy: Affecting 6%-8% of children, commonly triggered by dairy, grains, eggs, fish, legumes, nuts, shellfish, or soy. Notably, 10%-18% of first food allergy episodes occur at school. Food allergies are classified as:
- Immediate type (within 2 hours of exposure)
- Delayed type (>2 hours after exposure)
- Drug Allergy: Reactions to antibiotics (e.g., beta-lactams, cephalosporins), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and others.
- Insect Venom Allergy
- Anaphylactic Reaction: A severe, potentially life-threatening systemic reaction with variable mechanisms and clinical presentations. Patients receive written instructions—a personalized Anaphylaxis Action Plan—and training on the proper use of an epinephrine auto-injector.
How is diagnosis made?
- Medical History: A thorough history of the child’s symptoms provides key information regarding type, duration, and timing.
- Clinical Examination: A calm and patient evaluation of systems such as the lungs, skin, and eyes helps guide further allergological testing.
- Specialized Personalized Allergy Testing, including:
- Laboratory tests
- Skin Prick Tests: Sensitive and painless tests essential for evaluating food and respiratory allergies.
- Intradermal Tests: Used for medications and insect venom.
- Patch Tests: Applied for diagnosing contact dermatitis, reactions to medications, and food allergens. Small allergen quantities are applied via patches on the back, with readings taken at 48, 72, 96 hours, or later depending on symptoms and suspected allergen.
- Spirometry: Provides valuable information on respiratory function and asthma diagnosis.
- Nasal Challenges: Important for evaluating local rhinitis.
- Food and Drug Challenges: Confirm allergies or tolerance to specific foods and medications.
Therapeutic approach
- Symptomatic Treatment: Focused on relieving patient symptoms, alongside guidance to avoid identified allergens.
- Immunotherapy – Desensitization: For respiratory allergens (allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma) and insect venom, aiming to retrain the immune system to tolerate substances previously misidentified as threats. This is done through gradual sublingual or subcutaneous administration of allergens.
- Advanced Biological Therapies: Innovative medications for chronic allergic diseases (asthma, atopic dermatitis) and chronic urticaria.