Question
A 9-year-old child with a history of allergic rhinitis for 8 years is inquiring about treatment methods.
Answer
Immunotherapy (specific desensitization therapy) uses allergen extracts that test positive on skin tests, starting with low concentrations and administering small subcutaneous injections. The concentration and dosage are gradually increased over several months of treatment, and then switched to maintenance dosage. After this treatment, patients can produce specific IgG antibodies to block the combination of allergens with IgE and reduce cellular sensitivity to the allergen.