Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) for Food Allergies

A Comprehensive Guide to Food Allergy Desensitisation

Expert Care for Babies and Young Children

Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) is an advanced treatment used to help individuals with food allergies build tolerance to specific allergenic foods. At the London Allergy and Immunology Centre, we offer specialist assessment and personalised OIT programmes for children and adults, including carefully designed protocols for infants and young children.

OIT aims to reduce the risk of severe allergic reactions from accidental exposure, helping patients and families gain greater confidence and improved quality of life.

What is Oral Immunotherapy (OIT)?

Oral Immunotherapy involves administering very small, gradually increasing doses of an allergenic food under medical supervision. Over time, this process helps the immune system become less reactive to the allergen.

The goal of OIT is desensitisation, meaning the body can tolerate higher amounts of the allergen without triggering a severe reaction.

While OIT is not a permanent cure, it can significantly increase the threshold for allergic reactions, reducing the risk of severe reactions from accidental exposure.

Key Features of Oral Immunotherapy

✔ Desensitisation: Regular exposure helps the immune system become less sensitive to the allergen
✔ Medical Supervision: Treatment is monitored by specialist allergy clinicians
✔ Improved Safety: Patients develop tolerance to higher doses of allergenic foods
✔ Quality of Life: Reduced anxiety around accidental food exposure

Some patients may experience mild reactions such as:

✔ Oral itching
✔ Gastrointestinal discomfort
✔ Skin irritation

Severe reactions are uncommon and are carefully managed within specialist clinical settings.

Foods That Can Be Treated with OIT

Oral immunotherapy can be used for a range of IgE-mediated food allergies, including:

Common Food Allergies

✔ Peanut
✔ Milk
✔ Egg
✔ Tree nuts (almond, cashew, hazelnut)
✔ Wheat
✔ Soy
✔ Sesame

Less Common Food Allergies

✔ Fish
✔ Shellfish
✔ Mustard
✔ Coconut

Emerging protocols allow multi-food oral immunotherapy, where more than one allergen is treated simultaneously under specialist supervision.

Success Rates of Oral Immunotherapy

Clinical studies have demonstrated promising outcomes for food allergy desensitisation.

Research shows:

✔ Up to 80% desensitisation rates for peanut allergy
✔ Higher success rates in patients with moderate baseline tolerance
✔ Improved quality of life and reduced emergency reactions

Newer protocols combining OIT with anti-IgE therapy may further improve safety and reduce reaction rates during treatment.

Oral Immunotherapy for Babies and Children Under Two

Traditionally, OIT has been offered to children aged four years and older. However, specialist centres now provide carefully designed protocols for infants and toddlers.

Early treatment may improve long-term outcomes because younger immune systems are more adaptable.

Requirements for Infant OIT

Before starting treatment, several steps are required:

✔ Confirmed diagnosis through allergy testing
✔ Skin prick testing or specific IgE blood testing
✔ Supervised oral food challenge where appropriate

Successful treatment also requires strong parental commitment.

Parents must be prepared for:

✔ Daily dosing at home
✔ Regular clinic visits for dose adjustments
✔ Close monitoring for reactions

Diagnosis and Allergy Testing

The London Allergy and Immunology Centre offers flexible diagnostic options for families.

In-Clinic Allergy Testing

✔ Skin prick testing for food allergens
✔ Specific IgE blood testing
✔ Component-resolved diagnostics
✔ Oral food challenge testing under specialist supervision

Remote Allergy Diagnosis

For families unable to attend in person, we also offer:

✔ Home allergy testing kits analysed by accredited laboratories
✔ Remote video consultations with specialist allergists
✔ Personalised treatment recommendations

Why Choose the London Allergy and Immunology Centre?

Families from across the UK choose our clinic for specialist food allergy treatment.

Our centre offers:

✔ Leading paediatric allergy specialists
✔ Personalised oral immunotherapy treatment plans
✔ Advanced diagnostic testing
✔ Close clinical monitoring for safety
✔ Multidisciplinary care for complex allergies

Our team has extensive experience in food allergy diagnosis, desensitisation therapy and long-term allergy management.

Safety and Treatment Considerations

While OIT can be highly effective, careful monitoring is essential.

Patients and families should understand that:

✔ Mild reactions may occur during treatment
✔ Daily maintenance dosing is required to maintain tolerance
✔ Regular follow-up consultations are important for safe progression

For selected patients, combination therapies such as anti-IgE treatment may improve safety during multi-food OIT programmes.

Global Perspective on OIT Treatment

Oral immunotherapy programmes are offered worldwide, with treatment costs varying depending on location and treatment complexity.

In the UK, OIT is typically self-funded, as insurance coverage is limited.

Treatment costs may include:

✔ Initial consultation and diagnostic testing
✔ Supervised dosing visits
✔ Maintenance therapy and monitoring

Individual treatment plans and pricing are discussed during specialist consultation.

Start Your Child’s Food Allergy Treatment Journey

Early specialist assessment can help determine whether oral immunotherapy is suitable for your child.

The team at the London Allergy and Immunology Centre offers expert guidance and personalised treatment programmes designed to improve safety and quality of life for children with food allergies.

Contact our clinic to arrange a remote or in-clinic consultation with one of our allergy specialists.

Key Takeaways

✔ Oral immunotherapy gradually increases tolerance to food allergens
✔ OIT can significantly reduce the risk of severe allergic reactions
✔ Early treatment in infants may improve long-term outcomes
✔ Specialist supervision ensures safe and effective treatment
✔ Personalised protocols are essential for successful desensitisation

For detailed scientific sources, refer to AAAAI