Texas Children's Food Allergy Program is focused on improving the quality of life for infants, children and adolescents with food allergies. We are dedicated to providing our patients and their families with unparalleled, personalized, family-centered care.
To accomplish this goal, we offer state-of-the-art therapeutic interventions, innovative clinical and laboratory research, community awareness and superior training and education for physicians and other researchers in the field.
We are ultimately dedicated to finding causes and cures for food allergies and food allergy related diseases.
As many as 15 million Americans, including approximately 6 million children, have food allergies.
Even trace amounts of a food allergen can cause a reaction. Patients with contact food allergies do not even need to ingest food to suffer an allergic reaction—simply touching the food can cause a reaction.
There are currently no cures for food allergies. Vigilant avoidance of food allergens is the only way to prevent severe reactions.
The prevalence of eosinophilic esophagitis—a food-induced disorder that can result in weight loss, abdominal pain and severe vomiting in children—is increasing. It is difficult to diagnose and treat.
Food allergies are life-altering and can cause increased stress and anxiety for children and families affected. One half of families with children who have food allergies report changes in family social activities, 40% report increased stress, and one in ten children is homeschooled because of food allergies.
Our Advantages
Texas Children’s Hospital is world renowned for pediatric health care, education and research. Exceptional patient outcomes and unprecedented clinical discoveries have consistently yielded top rankings from U.S. News and World Report as one of the best children’s hospitals in the nation.
Consistent community support. For more than 20 years, Texas Children’s Allergy and Immunology section has received continuous externally-sponsored funding for basic and clinical research.
A new Center for Immunology has been created as part of the Allergy and Immunology section and is bringing together several world-class scientists, National Institutes of Health research grants and the commitment of hospital leadership to support pioneering food allergy research. Once formally established, Texas Children’s Food Allergy Program will operate within the Center for Immunology.
Baylor College of Medicine is the medical school partner to Texas Children’s Hospital and academic home of our faculty.
Our Services
Offers individualized patient care for each child and family, with the most current treatment for food allergy disorders.
Provides access to state-of-the-art food challenge protocols and elimination/reintroduction trials that help to accurately diagnose patients with food allergies and determine the best possible treatment options.
Introduces new methods for the diagnosis, evaluation and treatment of eosinophilic esophagitis.
Extends educational research and outreach to prevent severe food allergy reactions in schools. Collaboration is underway between Texas Children’s Hospital and the Houston Independent School District, and we plan to expand such efforts to surrounding school districts over time.
