Windom Allergy, Asthma, Sinus

Dr. Windom attended the American College of Allergy Asthma & Immunology annual meeting in Houston in November. He lectured on ‘Food Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) in Clinical Practice’ to the Association of Allergists of Indian-Origin. Many in the audience expressed interest in offering this life-changing therapy to their patients based on the aspirational words of Dr. Windom. The results of our first 180 peanut allergy patients treated with OIT, compiled with the help of pre-med student Lara Gasich, were presented as a poster at the national meeting.

This month Dr. Fergeson led our emergency room training review. During these sessions our physicians, nurses and office staff discuss how to safely and efficiently manage a patient who is having an allergic reaction. We also had the opportunity to review our airway and IV placement skills, as well as apply these skills in our mock patient clinical scenarios. We are constantly learning here at Windom Allergy and always strive to provide the best care to our patients.

Halloween is just around the corner! For all of our ghouls and goblins living with food allergy and/or receiving oral immunotherapy (OIT), we’ve conjured up a few tips for a safe and enjoyable Halloween:For those receiving food OIT, please be mindful of the 2-hour rest period after your dose and avoid dosing after 8 PM. If this is not possible, it is fine to skip your dose that day and resume normal dosing the following day.Don’t let your food-allergic child trick-or-treat alone, and always make sure they carry their autoinjectable epinephrine with them.Verify that adults or friends with your child understand his or...

Because of the amazing success of food oral immunotherapy (OIT) at Windom Allergy and other clinics around the world, a pharmaceutical company is close to having their peanut capsule, Palforzia, approved by the FDA.  Obtaining FDA approval for the same OIT protocol we’ve been using for years, legitimizes this life changing therapy for all of those doctors and patients who felt the need for this ultimate FDA stamp before pursuing peanut desensitization. Yes, the commercial capsule has been checked for purity and full peanut composition, a requirement to make peanut a drug, but we remain comfortable using regular peanuts to desensitize our patients...

Guess what???Dr. Ly made a youtube video that is silly and fun for her food allergy kiddos!Please watch as Dr. Ly explains food allergies to kids with the help of science and toys! Learn about allergy soldiers and how they cause food allergies. Most importantly, you will learn how to make yourself feel better if you have an allergic reaction.If you like the video please share the message and help other food allergy families!A special thanks to Jim McCampbell who edited the video and added the sound effects! You made the video so fun friend!

We said goodbye to two patients from the UK and one from Trinidad this week!We wish them the very best as they return home, safely eating small amounts of peanut and cashew.  These kids came over with their parents for 5-6 weeks in Sarasota to start the oral immunotherapy (OIT) process for their severe food allergy. They will continue daily OIT dosing in their home country until they can return to the Florida gulf coast to complete ‘updosing’ to our goal of three nuts daily.We loved spending time with Michael, Rosa, and River!Thinking about coming to see us for OIT? Wondering...

Drs. Windom and Ly helped organize and run the 3rd Annual Food Allergy Support Team meeting in Dallas on June 29, 2019.  As early pioneers in the treatment of food allergy with oral immunotherapy (OIT), our doctors were instrumental in creating this North American organization of Allergists offering this breakthrough therapy that allows patients with life threatening food allergies to safely eat the food they had been avoiding so vigilantly. Find out more at www.windomallergy.com/food-allergy-center. Doctor's from around the country gathered to discuss oral immunotherapy. (Left to Right) Dr. Thomas Chacko, Dr. Hugh Windom, Dr. Doug Jones, Dr. Chad Mayer, Dr. David Fitzhugh, &...

But also shop with a healthy dose of common sense and evidence based advice!Common Misconceptions:Risk of contamination can be stratified based on the Precautionary Allergy Labeling (PAL) terminology used, such as “made in a facility” or “shared lines”. FALSE! The exact PAL term on the food label CANNOT be used to stratify riskOnce a food with PAL is tolerated, it is always safe to eat. There may be batch-to-batch differences in the level of contamination of the same productRisk of contamination is the same for all foods. Food at the highest risk of contamination are thought to include chocolate candies, cookies/biscuits,...

Are you nervous about traveling with a food allergy? Be prepared and get educated!Common Misconceptions:There is a risk of inhaling peanut on an airplane and reacting to it. Studies have shown that peanut does not circulate in the air and this is not a likely route of exposure. Peanut dust on unwashed surfaces that becomes inadvertently ingested, or false presumption that a food is safe that actually contains peanuts are the 2 most likely sources of potential peanut exposure in flightOnly nut-free flights are safe. Use a commercial wipe to clean the seating area, in particular the tray wellOnce the airline...

This week we will highlight on clinical pearls and evidence-based advice on what to do if a peanut allergic patient has casual exposure to peanut.Being near peanut butter can trigger a reaction. Ingestion is the primary trigger for significant reactions and peanut protein does not aerosolize in significant amounts from peanut butter or undisturbed peanut.Being touched by peanut can trigger a reaction. Again, ingestion as the primary trigger of significant reactions. Contact reactions may lead to no symptoms or localized ones such as a rash that often resolves when the area is washed off (exception may be direct eye exposure that...