Allergy specialist
Where can I be seen? We have offices in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Newport News, Norfolk and Suffolk. How do I get an appointment? Call (757) 668-8255. Schedule your appointment for the location closest to home. We have office hours Monday through Friday depending on the site of the clinic.
A
n allergist is a doctor specially trained and experienced in the diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases and related conditions. These include asthma, hay fever, sinusitis, rashes, hives and certain kinds of allergic reactions to foods, insect stings and drugs. We can help determine whether exposure to specific substances such as dust or pollen is triggering your child’s asthma. If this is the case, treating the underlying allergy may improve your child’s asthma.
What can I expect at the first appointment? We will get a detailed medical history, examine your child and evaluate his or her symptoms. We may order tests (such as lung function tests or X-rays) to find out more about your child’s condition. Skin prick tests or allergy blood tests can often pinpoint the exact causes of your child’s allergic symptoms. Using all of this information, we make a diagnosis and start treatment.
What treatments do you provide? There are three types of allergy treatment: prevention, medication and immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is a process of gradually making your child less sensitive to the things he or she is allergic to.
Should I do anything special before the appointment? If possible, stop giving your child antihistamines (pills, liquid and the kind you squirt in the nose) 10 days before your appointment so they won’t interfere with the results of allergy tests that can often be done at the first visit. We will supply you with a list of medications to avoid. Please bring a list of all current medicines, medication delivery devices and any information that your doctor wants to share with us. If your child’s primary care doctor is a CHKD doctor, we will have that information in our CHKD electronic medical record system. Please be prepared to spend up to two hours at your first visit if several tests need to be done.
My child’s allergy specialist is:
Name: ______________________________________________________ Practice location: _____________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Phone #: ____________________________________________________
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