Allergy and Immunology

Our physicians treat all allergies and immunodeficiency disorders in babies, children and adolescents with an emphasis on:

Allergy Causes

Allergies are among the most common chronic conditions worldwide. Allergy symptoms range from making a person miserable to putting one at risk for life-threatening reactions.

An allergic reaction begins in the immune system. The immune system protects us from invading organisms that can cause illness. With an allergy, the immune system mistakes an otherwise harmless substance as an invader. This substance is called an allergen. The immune system overreacts to the allergen by producing Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. These antibodies travel to cells that release histamine and other chemicals, causing an allergic reaction.

Allergy Symptoms

An allergic reaction typically triggers symptoms in the nose, lungs, throat, sinuses, ears, lining of the stomach or on the skin. For some, allergies can also trigger symptoms of asthma. In the most serious cases, a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis can occur.

A number of different allergens are responsible for allergic reactions. The most common include:

• Pollen
• Dust
• Food
• Insect stings
• Animal dander
• Mold
• Medications/Drugs
• Latex

Allergy Diagnosis

If a patient has allergy symptoms, our Allergist / Immunologist, can help with a diagnosis. An allergist has advanced training and experience to properly diagnose a condition and prescribe an allergy treatment and management plan. We perform skin prick testing, blood testing, and oral graded challenges to diagnose food and environmental allergies. Here at the University of Miami, we have access to cutting edge technology and the latest techniques for allergy diagnosis and treatment.

UM is a designated Food Allergy Research and Education Clinical Network Center of Distinction serving as a referral center for South Florida high risk and complex food allergy patients.

Allergy Treatments

University of Miami Allergist / Immunologists treat allergies through many different modalities. For environmental allergies, we offer medication management, avoidance counseling, and allergen immunotherapy ("allergy shots" or "allergy sublingual pills") to treat the condition. We are also well versed in using the latest biologics to treat patients with allergies. For food allergies, we also offer oral immunotherapy and enrollment in clinical trials for the latest therapies. 

Primary Immunodeficiency

Primary Immunodeficiency is due to an inborn error of immunity that causes children and adults to have infections that come back frequently or are unusually hard to cure. One in 500 persons are affected by one of the known primary immunodeficiencies.

Warning Signs for Primary Immunodeficiency (by the Jeffrey Modell Foundation)

1. Four or more new ear infections within 1 year
2. Two or more serious sinus infections within 1 year
3. Two or more months on antibiotics with little effect
4. Two or more pneumonias within 1 year
5. Failure of an infant to gain weight or grow normally
6. Recurrent, deep skin or organ abscesses
7. Persistent thrush in mouth or fungal infection on skin
8. Need for intravenous antibiotics to clear infections
9. Two or more deep-seated infections including septicemia
10. A family history of PI

Primary Immunodeficiency Diagnosis

The University of Miami Allergists / Immunologists specialize in the diagnosis of rare and difficult to diagnose immunodeficiencies. We have interdisciplinary teams for diagnosis of immune dysregulation and work closely with genetics to identify the underlying genetic defect in primary immunodeficiencies.

Primary Immunodeficiency Treatment

We are well versed in prescribing replacement immunoglobulin, prophylactic antibiotics, and other specific treatments for primary immunodeficiencies. We collaborate with other immunology specialists around the world for those patients with rare disorders who could benefit from clinical trials or specialty treatments. We also work closely with our bone marrow transplant team at the University of Miami for those patients who need that therapy.

Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Surgery