What Treatment Is Right For Me?
At-a-Glance Guide
Question
What is it?
OIT (Oral Immunotherapy)
SLIT (Sublingual Immunotherapy) Xolair
Eating tiny, increasing amounts of the food
Drops of the allergen under the tongue
How is it taken?
How do patients know it’s working?
Daily at home, with dose increases in the doctor’s office
Daily drops at home, with dose increases in the office
Injection medicine that treats asthma, hives, and food allergies by blocking the protein IgE involved in allergic reactions
Shot every 2–4 weeks (after 3 office visits, can often be given at home)
Benefits
Food challenge after 6–12 months
Risks/Side effects
Less sensitive while taking it; lowers risk of accidental reactions; shows how much can be safely eaten
Itchy mouth/throat, stomach upset, vomiting, diarrhea, rarely severe reaction
Food challenge after longer period; works more slowly than OIT
Less sensitive while taking it; lowers risk of accidental reactions; safer because doses are tiny
Itchy mouth/throat is common
Food challenge after 6–12 months
Other important notes
Must still avoid allergens and carry medicines
Must still avoid allergens and carry medicines
Less sensitive while taking it; lowers risk of accidental reactions; helps with many allergies at once
Pain/bruising at injection site; rarely headaches, joint pain, or hives
Must still avoid allergens and carry medicines
Xolair (omalizumab)
At-a-Glance Guide
What is Xolair?
Xolair is a medicine given by injection that helps the immune system respond less strongly to allergens. It’s FDA-approved for asthma, hives, severe sinus disease, and, as of February 2024, for food allergies in people ages 1–55.
Benefits of Xolair
Xolair can make someone less sensitive to their allergies while they’re taking it, though they still need to avoid the allergen. It lowers the risk of serious reactions from accidental exposure and can help with multiple allergies at the same time, such as food, pollen, pets, or insect stings. Xolair works while it’s being taken, but it doesn’t cure allergies.
Risks of Xolair
The most common side effect of Xolair is pain or bruising at the injection site. Rarely, some people may experience headaches, joint aches (like sore knees or elbows), or hives.
How is Xolair taken?
Xolair is given as one or more injections every 2–4 weeks. After the first three shots in the doctor’s office, patients can usually give the injections at home.
After 6–12 months of taking Xolair, the doctor may do a food challenge to see how much of the allergen can be safely eaten without causing symptoms. How do patients know Xolair is working?
Common questions to discuss with your allergist:
How long will I need to take Xolair?
What are the possible side effects?
Can I add my allergic food into my diet while taking Xolair?
Even while taking Xolair, patients must continue to avoid their food allergens and always carry antihistamines and epinephrine.
Oral Immunotherapy (OIT)
At-a-Glance Guide
What is OIT?
OIT is a treatment where you eat tiny, increasing amounts of a food you’re allergic to, so your body learns to better tolerate it over time.
Benefits of OIT
OIT lowers the chance of a serious reaction from accidental exposure, and it is the only treatment that shows the smallest amount of food (daily dose) that can be safely eaten without the need for doing a food challenge.
Risks of OIT
During OIT, it’s common to have mild symptoms like an itchy mouth or throat. Some people may also experience stomach upset, vomiting, or diarrhea, which can lead them to stop treatment. More rarely, OIT can cause more serious allergic reactions, such as anaphylaxis.
How is OIT taken?
With OIT, the allergy food is eaten every day over several years. Dose increases happen in the doctor’s office, usually every couple of weeks. Once the goal dose is reached, the patient keeps taking that amount at home each day. Patients may need to limit activities like exercise around the time of their dose.
After 6–12 months of OIT, the doctor may do a food challenge to see how much more of the food (beyond the daily dose) can be eaten without causing symptoms. How do patients know OIT is working?
Common questions to discuss with your allergist:
How do we decide which food(s) to treat with OIT?
What will my/our goal dose be?
How long will I need to continue OIT?
Even while doing OIT, patients must continue to avoid their food allergens and always carry antihistamines and epinephrine.
Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT)
At-a-Glance Guide
SLIT is a treatment where small amounts of an allergen are taken as drops under the tongue. It can help treat one or multiple food allergies at the same time. What is SLIT?
Benefits of SLIT
SLIT can make someone less sensitive to their allergies while they’re taking it, though they still need to avoid the food outside of their SLIT dose. It also lowers the risk of serious reactions from accidental exposure.
Risks of SLIT
During SLIT, most patients will experience an itchy mouth or throat at some point.
How is SLIT taken?
SLIT drops are taken every day over several years. Dose increases happen in the doctor’s office, and once the goal dose (for example, about 1/100 of a peanut kernel) is reached, it is continued at home each day.
How do patients know SLIT is working?
To see if SLIT is working, the doctor may do a food challenge to determine how much of the food can be safely eaten without symptoms. SLIT usually takes longer than OIT to provide protection, but it is considered safer because the doses are much smaller—for example, 1/100 of a peanut kernel in SLIT compared to 1 peanut kernel in OIT.
Common questions to discuss with your allergist:
How do we decide which food(s) to treat with SLIT?
What are the possible side effects?
Even while doing SLIT, patients must continue to avoid their food allergens and always carry antihistamines and epinephrine.
EmpoweringFoodAllergy&AsthmaAdvocacyandResearch
Research Projects
CFAARmanagesandanalyzes largepublichealthdatasets tounderstandthe epidemiology,burden,and disparitiesinallergic conditions,whilealso conductingclinicalresearch toevaluateinnovative therapeuticstrategiesand interventions Additionally, weengagewithcommunities andschoolstoeducateabout allergicconditionsandshape equitableinterventions andpolicies.
Food Allergy & Asthma Resources
Ourmissionistoraise awarenessaboutfood allergiesandasthmain schoolsandcommunitieswhile empoweringfamiliesto takechargeoftheirhealth. Browseresourcestailored toeveryagegroup.
Provider Resources
Resourcesforcliniciansto helpreducetheriskoffood allergiesbyoffering evidence-basedguidelines, earlyidentification strategies,andbest practicesforintroducing allergenicfoodstopromote earlypreventionand management.
Events
Ourteamhostseducational panels,webinars,andthe CFAARFoodAllergySummit anannual3-dayevent dedicatedtoadvancingfood allergyprevention,equity,and pediatriceducation,including conditionsrelatedtofood allergiessuchasasthma, eczema,andEoE
Areyoupassionateabout advancingfoodallergyand asthmaresearchandmaking arealimpactonpublichealth? AtCFAAR,webringtogether experts,advocates,and innovatorstodrive meaningfulchangethrough groundbreaking research,education, andadvocacy.
SummerScholars 6-weekpaidinternship
Ambassadors Immersiveone-week programforhigh schoolers
ScienceSleuths 3-monthonline
STEMprogram
Mentorshipopportunitiesfor master/medicalstudents
LEADERS IN FOOD ALLERGY & ASTHMA RESEARCH
The CFAAR team is internationally recognized for their research. They have published the prevalence of pediatric and adult food allergy in the United States, characterized the economic impact of food allergy, and identified disparities in access to care and outcomes among food allergy and asthma patients. To reduce the burden of these diseases and improve health equity, they develop, evaluate, and disseminate interventions and conduct work to inform local, national, and
international health policy. With the continued partnership from their advisory boards, clinical partners, advocacy groups, patients, and their families, CFAAR is excited to continue developing more effective and impactful methods to investigate and improve the health of those living with allergic conditions.
CONTACT
Email: cfaar@northwestern.edu
To learn more about CFAAR and how to get involved, please visit cfaar.northwestern.edu