Allergy and Immunology Program - Services

Allergy skin tests

Many allergy problems can be diagnosed with skin prick tests. This involves a very tiny quantity of allergy material being pressed into the skin with a tiny plastic pick. These are much less uncomfortable than the injections that were used previously.

If possible, please stop antihistamine medications (Claritin, Reactine, etc.) for 3 days before your visit. You do not need to stop anything else, such as nose sprays. Call us if you’re not sure. Do not stop any of your asthma medicines.

Allergy injections 

While allergy injections are not for everyone, they are very useful in treating some kinds of allergy problems. You may wish to discuss this treatment option with the doctor.

If you are currently taking allergy injections, please bring your serum and the dosing schedule with you to your outpatient appointment. 

Food Allergy Clinic

St. Joseph's has established a Food Allergy Clinic where patients with any kind of food allergy (referral required) can be definitively diagnosed using the latest, evidence-based approaches, including food challenges where the person is exposed to the food and monitored.

For certain food allergies, such as peanut, the clinic offers oral immunotherapy under very strict and careful supervision of allergy specialists.