About the Food Allergy Center
Food allergies affect nearly 6 million children in the United States and nearly 7 percent of patients cared for at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).
Symptoms of food allergies can affect a child’s ability to grow and develop and can range from mild to severe. Diagnosing food allergies can be challenging for multiple reasons: interpretation of lab work and test results can be misleading, and symptoms — such as pain, vomiting and diarrhea — don’t always appear immediately after ingesting the “trigger” food.
Advanced care and treatments
At the Food Allergy Center, a program within the Division of Allergy and Immunology, our multidisciplinary team of allergists, nurse practitioners, dieticians, work closely with our gastroenterologists, pathologists, feeding specialists, pediatric nurses, social workers, and psychologists and others to partner with families and clinicians to care for children and teens with food allergies.
Each year, more than 8,700 children with food allergies come to CHOP for diagnosis, second opinions, cutting-edge treatments, and to participate in clinical research studies. Treatment is individualized so each child can experience optimal health.
Comprehensive services and support
- Blood and skin allergy testing, including allergen-specific IgE testing
- Food challenge testing
- Diagnostic procedures such as endoscopy, colonoscopy and motility studies
- Dedicated eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) clinic
- Food Reactions Clinic
- Nutritional evaluations and support
- Psychosocial support