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The Role Of The Children's Immunologist

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When the diagnosis, treatment, or management of children's allergies goes beyond the knowledge and expertise of a general family physician or pediatrician, a children's immunologist can readily fill the gap in a child's allergy or immunology care. Children's immunologists provide the most current, specialized care in the field of allergies and immune diseases.

What Is A Children's Immunologist?

A children's immunologist, also called a children's allergist or children's allergist-immunologist, is a doctor who has gone above and beyond the training and education of a general family doctor or general pediatrician to specialize in allergies and related immune disorders. It is the job of the children's immunologist, or pediatric immunologist, to research the child's history, identify allergens as specifically as possible, and devise the most appropriate course of treatment for the individual child.

The education of a children's immunologist starts out the same as a general practitioner.

• First, the children's immunologist attends four years of pre-medical education (college)
• After a four-year degree is achieved, four years of medical school follows
• During the residency period, the pediatric immunologist works with a pediatrician for 3 years of pediatric primary care
• Following a pediatric residency, the pediatric immunologist attends two or three more years of education which is devoted to the study of allergies, immunology, and asthma.

What Health Issues Can A Children's Immunologist Treat?

Pediatric or children's immunologists treat children from birth up to age eighteen. They are experts in the field of pediatric allergies, asthma, and immune disorders.

In the treatment of allergies, a pediatric immunologist is a child's most skilled resource for diagnosis and treatment. It is the job of the children's immunologist to perform allergy testing and prescribe medications and alternative treatments for children with allergies. It is also the job of the children's immunologist to educate the child and parent and to guide them through living allergy-free. Children's immunologists treat conditions such as

• Seasonal allergies and hay fever
• Skin allergies
• Environmental allergies and chemical allergies
• Food allergies and intolerances
• Insect allergies

In addition to treating allergies, children's immunologists also treat associated disease and disorders, including

• Chronic sinus infections and inflammations (sinusitis)
• Abscesses
• Thrush
• Hives
• Eczema
• Disorders which lead to any of the above
• Asthma

A number of other immune disorders and diseases fall under the expertise of a children's immunologist. A children's immunologist may also be consulted when a child's immune system is compromised due to disease or treatment (such as transplant or cancer).

What If I Can't Find A Children's Immunologist Near Me?

When available locally, a children's immunologist is your best choice for the treatment of children's allergies. Children's immunologists can be found at teaching hospitals, university hospitals and medical schools, in private practices, and in large community hospitals. A children's immunologist not only has the most expertise and current knowledge in allergy treatment and diagnosis, but a children's immunologist also is skilled in communicating with children and parents and diagnosing children with limited or no communication skills; a children's immunologist is patient and is prepared for dealing with small, possibly uncooperative children in the course of care and treatment.

Access to children's immunologists is somewhat limited, though, because not all allergists specialize in treating children's allergies. When a children's immunologist is not readily available, an allergist certified in family or internal medicine is still an excellent choice; these doctors are still experts in the field of allergies and immunology, just not specialized towards children-only. The key is to find an allergist who has experience treating children and adults, and has the skill and patience to deal with younger patients.

When you need a children's immunologist, your child's primary doctor is a good referral resource; most often, primary care pediatricians refer to one or more trusted professionals whom they have consulted with in the past. Parents of children with allergies are also good sources for referrals for children's immunologists.

A children's immunologist is the best resource for diagnosis and treatment of children's allergies and related conditions. For more than the basic diagnosis or treatment of child allergies, the help of a skilled, qualified children's immunologist is needed.

 

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