OIT in 2025: How Advances in Oral Immunotherapy are Treating Food Allergies in Kids - Dr. Alice Hoyt and Dr. Tom Chacko

What topic would you like discussed? Text us!Dr. Alice Hoyt welcomes Dr. Tom Chacko, a board-certified allergist from Atlanta, to  dive into the complexities of food allergies, focusing on oral immunotherapy (OIT) and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT). They discuss Dr. Chacko's journey into the field, the importance of whole foods in treatment, and collaborative efforts within the FAST network. The conversation also addresses the need for patient-centric care in allergy treatment. Looking for one-on-one time with a food allergist to finally get your food allergy questions answered? Sign up for Food Allergy Office Hours for Parents. Are you a pediatric clinician and you want to stay up-to-date on food allergy information that's relevant to your practice? Join the Food Allergy Pediatric Hub.Are you in need of an allergist in your area? AAAAI Allergist FinderACAAI Allergist FinderOIT Allergist FinderWould like to become a patient? Reach out to the Institute!Does your kiddo's school need help with medical emergency response planning? Check out the non-profit Code Ana.This podcast is the official podcast of the Hoyt Institute of Food Allergy. Information on, within, and associated with this site and Food Allergy and Your Kiddo is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.

What topic would you like discussed? Text us!Receiving a food allergy diagnosis for your child can feel like the world has suddenly shifted beneath your feet. What was once a simple trip to the grocery store now involves scrutinizing labels, and family gatherings transform into potential hazard zones. But here's the truth: with the right plans in place, you can navigate this journey with confidence rather than fear.In this heartfelt episode, Dr. Alice Hoyt welcomes back co-host Pam Lestage to share five essential plans every mother new to food allergies needs. Drawing from both medical expertise and lived experience as food allergy moms, they offer a framework that puts you into the driver's seat of your child's food allergies.Looking for one-on-one time with a food allergist to finally get your food allergy questions answered? Sign up for Food Allergy Office Hours for Parents. Are you a pediatric clinician and you want to stay up-to-date on food allergy information that's relevant to your practice? Join the Food Allergy Pediatric Hub.Are you in need of an allergist in your area? AAAAI Allergist FinderACAAI Allergist FinderOIT Allergist FinderWould like to become a patient? Reach out to the Institute!Does your kiddo's school need help with medical emergency response planning? Check out the non-profit Code Ana.This podcast is the official podcast of the Hoyt Institute of Food Allergy. Information on, within, and associated with this site and Food Allergy and Your Kiddo is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.

What topic would you like discussed? Text us!The world of food allergy treatment has been buzzing with headlines claiming that Xolair (omalizumab) is "superior" to oral immunotherapy for treating multiple food allergies. As a board-certified allergist who both prescribes Xolair and performs multi-food OIT, I'm here to cut through the hype and provide clarity on what these treatments actually offer.Let me take you behind those headlines to examine the OUtMATCH study that sparked these claims and we will decide whether Xolair truly is superior to OIT.Links I mention:Here is the Food Allergy Peds Hub article on this topic, which has the graphic I mentioned.Here is a link to Dr. Platts-Mills' amazing article. Regarding OUtMATCH stage 2, the study results are not published (at the time of this publication - my info came from the presentation at the AAAAI 2025 and the photos I snapped of the presentation of the data). Here is the NIH link I mentioned.Here is my Doximity article on this topic.Looking for one-on-one time with a food allergist to finally get your food allergy questions answered? Sign up for Food Allergy Office Hours for Parents. Are you a pediatric clinician and you want to stay up-to-date on food allergy information that's relevant to your practice? Join the Food Allergy Pediatric Hub.Are you in need of an allergist in your area? AAAAI Allergist FinderACAAI Allergist FinderOIT Allergist FinderWould like to become a patient? Reach out to the Institute!Does your kiddo's school need help with medical emergency response planning? Check out the non-profit Code Ana.This podcast is the official podcast of the Hoyt Institute of Food Allergy. Information on, within, and associated with this site and Food Allergy and Your Kiddo is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.

What topic would you like discussed? Text us!Accidental ingestions of food allergens happen all too often, so kids with food allergies need access to epinephrine. While them having their own epi is ideal, that just isn't always the reality.Stock epinephrine is epinephrine prescribed to a school or other entity to be used to treat a child or adult having an anaphylactic emergency. In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Hoyt shares a training she led for fellow prescribers. In this training, she teaches the ins and outs of stock epinephrine. In this episode, you'll learn:What really is stock epinephrine?How do you determine what your state's law says about stock epinephrine?How can you prescribe stock epinephrine?If you are not a prescriber, still check out this episode so you can learn about this process, and share it with a doc you know!If you are a prescriber, then check out then click here to access the webinar, and earn an hour of CME!Looking for one-on-one time with a food allergist to finally get your food allergy questions answered? Sign up for Food Allergy Office Hours for Parents. Are you a pediatric clinician and you want to stay up-to-date on food allergy information that's relevant to your practice? Join the Food Allergy Pediatric Hub.Are you in need of an allergist in your area? AAAAI Allergist FinderACAAI Allergist FinderOIT Allergist FinderWould like to become a patient? Reach out to the Institute!Does your kiddo's school need help with medical emergency response planning? Check out the non-profit Code Ana.This podcast is the official podcast of the Hoyt Institute of Food Allergy. Information on, within, and associated with this site and Food Allergy and Your Kiddo is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.

What topic would you like discussed? Text us!This episode focuses on the importance of early introduction of allergenic foods in preventing food allergies in infants. Tune in to hear Dr. Hoyt discuss the LEAP and EAT studies, which illustrate how feeding babies common allergens early can significantly reduce their risk of developing allergies. You'll come away from the episode with a better understanding of: • The rising rates of food allergies and changing recommendations • The significance of early introduction• The LEAP and EAT studies and their findings • The safety of early introduction And if you are a pediatric clinician, check out the Food Allergy Pediatric Hub, where you can learn more about food allergies with information specifically for pediatricians and other pediatric clinicians. Looking for one-on-one time with a food allergist to finally get your food allergy questions answered? Sign up for Food Allergy Office Hours for Parents. Are you a pediatric clinician and you want to stay up-to-date on food allergy information that's relevant to your practice? Join the Food Allergy Pediatric Hub.Are you in need of an allergist in your area? AAAAI Allergist FinderACAAI Allergist FinderOIT Allergist FinderWould like to become a patient? Reach out to the Institute!Does your kiddo's school need help with medical emergency response planning? Check out the non-profit Code Ana.This podcast is the official podcast of the Hoyt Institute of Food Allergy. Information on, within, and associated with this site and Food Allergy and Your Kiddo is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.

What topic would you like discussed? Text us!Oral immunotherapy (OIT) has revolutionized the way we manage food allergies in children. Join Dr. Alice Hoyt as she interviews Dr. Richard Wasserman, a true pioneer in this groundbreaking treatment. Dr. Wasserman shares his journey on how and why he started offering OIT to patients over 15 years ago. Dr. Hoyt and Dr. Wasserman discuss the history of OIT and its similarities to allergy shots. They also emphasize the importance of collaboration among allergists to make life-changing therapies more accessible worldwide.OIT presents unique challenges across different age groups, and this conversation sheds light on these nuances. With relatable analogies like gym workouts, Dr. Wasserman and I talk through the adjustments necessary to maintain tolerance without overwhelming the patient. From the unique challenges faced by children and teens at different ages to potential family conflicts, this episode offers practical insights for managing food allergies over the long run, helping  both the patient and the patient's family feel supported every step of the way.Dr. Hoyt asks Dr. Wasserman to share his experiences on helping families navigate the myriad challenges that come with OIT, from the impact of illnesses on dosing schedules to the necessity of avoiding certain activities post-dosing. Dr. Wasserman shares his thoughts on the FDA-approved peanut allergy product and shares about his team's efforts to ease the journey of peanut OIT for kids. Concluding on a high note, Drs. Hoyt and Wasserman celebrate the immense relief and joy that OIT brings to many families, many times enabling children to safely consume previously dangerous allergens. Don't miss this opportunity to hear from a true trailblazer in the field of food allergy management!Looking for one-on-one time with a food allergist to finally get your food allergy questions answered? Sign up for Food Allergy Office Hours for Parents. Are you a pediatric clinician and you want to stay up-to-date on food allergy information that's relevant to your practice? Join the Food Allergy Pediatric Hub.Are you in need of an allergist in your area? AAAAI Allergist FinderACAAI Allergist FinderOIT Allergist FinderWould like to become a patient? Reach out to the Institute!Does your kiddo's school need help with medical emergency response planning? Check out the non-profit Code Ana.This podcast is the official podcast of the Hoyt Institute of Food Allergy. Information on, within, and associated with this site and Food Allergy and Your Kiddo is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.

What topic would you like discussed? Text us!What is the gold standard in diagnosing an anaphylactic food allergy? It's not a skin test. It's not a blood test. It's an ingestion challenge.In this episode,Dr. Alice Hoyt discusses the critical role of ingestion challenges when it comes to accurately diagnosing IgE-mediated food allergies. By consuming the suspected allergen under the careful supervision of a board-certified allergist, patients can achieve a precise diagnosis, which is pivotal before embarking on treatment plans like oral immunotherapy or long-term avoidance strategies. She shares valuable insights and tips on how to prepare for an ingestion challenge, ensuring a smooth and reassuring process for both patients and families.Dr. Hoyt also explores the life-changing impact ingestion challenges can have, especially for young children and their parents. Drawing from the groundbreaking LEAP study, she stresses the importance of confidently introducing potentially allergenic foods to children, highlighting how, in some cases, ingestion challenges  provide firsthand safety assurance. Additionally, she touches on the complexities of food allergy skin and blood testing and how these tests should not be considered confirmatory for food allergies. Tune in to learn how ingestion challenges empower food allergy families and, in some cases, confirms that a child is no longer allergic to a food.Looking for one-on-one time with a food allergist to finally get your food allergy questions answered? Sign up for Food Allergy Office Hours for Parents. Are you a pediatric clinician and you want to stay up-to-date on food allergy information that's relevant to your practice? Join the Food Allergy Pediatric Hub.Are you in need of an allergist in your area? AAAAI Allergist FinderACAAI Allergist FinderOIT Allergist FinderWould like to become a patient? Reach out to the Institute!Does your kiddo's school need help with medical emergency response planning? Check out the non-profit Code Ana.This podcast is the official podcast of the Hoyt Institute of Food Allergy. Information on, within, and associated with this site and Food Allergy and Your Kiddo is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.

What topic would you like discussed? Text us!Anaphylaxis is a a severe allergic reaction. How allergists manage anaphylaxis and how they advise their patients to manage anaphylaxis can mean the difference between life or death. That medical decision-making needs to be shared and have a foundation of evidence.In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Alice Hoyt discusses the newest updates to the Anaphylaxis Practice Parameters, which were published in late 2023. You'll learn the data on:When and how to best administer epinephrine When you should go to the ERThe likelihood of a severe allergic reaction occurring in babies after their first ingestion of an allergenWhen it may be safe to stay home Don't miss this episode, and bookmark it - you'll want to come back to this one!Looking for one-on-one time with a food allergist to finally get your food allergy questions answered? Sign up for Food Allergy Office Hours for Parents. Are you a pediatric clinician and you want to stay up-to-date on food allergy information that's relevant to your practice? Join the Food Allergy Pediatric Hub.Are you in need of an allergist in your area? AAAAI Allergist FinderACAAI Allergist FinderOIT Allergist FinderWould like to become a patient? Reach out to the Institute!Does your kiddo's school need help with medical emergency response planning? Check out the non-profit Code Ana.This podcast is the official podcast of the Hoyt Institute of Food Allergy. Information on, within, and associated with this site and Food Allergy and Your Kiddo is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.

What topic would you like discussed? Text us!In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Alice Hoyt, the caring doctor voice behind the Food Allergy and Your Kiddo Show, and the eminent Dr. Dave Stukus, a trailblazer from Nationwide Children's Hospital, unpack the exciting news about Xolair (omalizumab). After two decades of lending a helping hand to asthma sufferers, Xolair is now FDA-approved to combat severe allergic reactions from food allergies. The deep-dive discussion zeros in on how this well-seasoned medication works its magic by cozying up to allergic antibodies, decreasing the fright from accidental food allergen encounters. 🛡️ If you've been dealing with food allergies, lend us your ears as top allergists discuss who might benefit from Xolair. 🎧💕Episode Highlights:Take a brief stroll down memory lane to hear Xolair's past.Consider how Xolair may add a layer of protection for your little one.Review the safety profile that makes Xolair a relatively safe option.Guest Expertise:Dr. Alice Hoyt, your go-to allergist and familiar voice on the podcast, chats with Dr. Dave Stukus, known for his heartfelt commitment to helping food allergy families at the renowned Nationwide Children's Hospital.Share This Episode:Got a friend or loved one who's constantly on their toes because of food allergies? Share this episode with them—it just might be the information they've been waiting for! 📢Looking for one-on-one time with a food allergist to finally get your food allergy questions answered? Sign up for Food Allergy Office Hours for Parents. Are you a pediatric clinician and you want to stay up-to-date on food allergy information that's relevant to your practice? Join the Food Allergy Pediatric Hub.Are you in need of an allergist in your area? AAAAI Allergist FinderACAAI Allergist FinderOIT Allergist FinderWould like to become a patient? Reach out to the Institute!Does your kiddo's school need help with medical emergency response planning? Check out the non-profit Code Ana.This podcast is the official podcast of the Hoyt Institute of Food Allergy. Information on, within, and associated with this site and Food Allergy and Your Kiddo is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.

What topic would you like discussed? Text us!Have you ever posted a food allergy question on social? Don't miss this episode in which Pam poses real food allergy questions from social media to Dr. Hoyt!Looking for one-on-one time with a food allergist to finally get your food allergy questions answered? Sign up for Food Allergy Office Hours for Parents. Are you a pediatric clinician and you want to stay up-to-date on food allergy information that's relevant to your practice? Join the Food Allergy Pediatric Hub.Are you in need of an allergist in your area? AAAAI Allergist FinderACAAI Allergist FinderOIT Allergist FinderWould like to become a patient? Reach out to the Institute!Does your kiddo's school need help with medical emergency response planning? Check out the non-profit Code Ana.This podcast is the official podcast of the Hoyt Institute of Food Allergy. Information on, within, and associated with this site and Food Allergy and Your Kiddo is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.