Allergy and Immunology | Food Allergy Program

Food Sensitivity and Allergy Testing

Finding the appropriate care is one of the most important steps when your child is diagnosed with a food allergy. The Food Allergy Program is led by Amal H. Assa'ad, MD, Director of Clinical Services, Division of Allergy and Immunology. Dr. Assa’ad is recognized internationally for her expertise in the care of patients with food allergies. Our team consists of physicians, nurses, dieticians and other team members experienced in the care of patients with food allergies. The goal of the Food Allergy Program is to improve the lives of patients with food allergies and their family members by providing expert care, innovative treatments and cutting-edge research. Patients in the Food Allergy Program are seen through the Allergy Clinic and Oral Immunotherapy Clinic.

Aspects of Our Food Allergy Program

Robyn's Peanut Allergy Story

Robyn Cathcart continues to manage her peanut allergy thanks to her hard work and ongoing treatment in our Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) Clinic.

As a clear sign of her continuing progress, Robyn is now enjoying different foods formerly off limits to her—including peanut better and jelly sandwiches.  

Learn more about Robyn

FARE Center of Excellence and Biorepository

Cincinnati Children’s has received a significant grant that is expected to boost research to benefit patients with food allergy. Learn more on the Research Horizons blog.

FARE Registry

Your food allergy story helps drive research forward. Learn more.

Food Allergy Guidelines and Research

  • NIAID-Food Allergy: An Overview - The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) designed a booklet to help people understand allergic reactions to foods and their possible causes and to explain how a healthcare professional diagnoses and treats food allergy. Our clinical director, Amal H. Assa’ad, MD, contributed to this guide. 
  • 2017 NIAID Addendum for Preventing Peanut Allergy - In 2015, findings from a landmark NIAID-funded clinical trial called the Learning Early About Peanut (LEAP) study showed that introducing peanut-containing foods to infants at high risk for developing peanut allergy was safe and led to an 81% relative reduction in the subsequent development of peanut allergy. Due to the strength of these results, NIAID established a coordinating committee that convened an expert panel to update the 2010 Guidelines to specifically address the prevention of peanut allergy. Amal H. Assa'ad, MD and Carina Venter, PhD, RD, contributed to the Addendum Guidelines for the Prevention of Peanut Allergy in the United States that were published in January 2017.
  • Early Allergen Introduction - This editorial discusses the NIAID-funded Learning Early About Peanut (LEAP) trial, which evaluated whether early allergen introduction would be beneficial in allergy prevention.

Food Allergy Blog Posts

FDA Approves New Drug to Help Kids with Peanut Allergies

A new peanut allergy drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration could bring new hope for kids allergic to peanuts. Learn more.

Food Allergies: Oral Immunotherapy Treatment, Teal Pumpkin Campaign, and More 

On this Young & Healthy podcast, Christa Mills, food allergy coordinator and Registered Nurse, shares how we can all take part in the teal pumpkin project and shares some tips for inclusivity around the holidays; Amal H. Assa'ad, MD answers all of our questions about food allergies, symptoms, and treatments and shares what parents should do if their child has an allergic reaction; and Justin Schwartz, MD, PhD, shares about what is oral immunotherapy treatment, the benefits of oral immunotherapy treatment, and who would make a good candidate for this type of treatment. 

Listen to the podcast

Plant-based Milk Alternatives and Kids

On this Young & Healthy podcast, Registered Dietitians Alison Cassin and Meghan McNeill join Michael English to talk about plant-based milks. Many children are unable to drink cow’s milk and luckily there are alternative products for them.

Listen to the podcast