APPOINTMENT GUIDE
How to talk to your allergist about treatment
Most appointments are short
Made to print and take with you
Know what you want to ask
Reviewed by Hunter Smith, MD · Last reviewed October 2026
IN SHORT
Most appointments are short. Going in with a clear sense of what you want to know can determine what you get out of it.
This page is designed to be printed and taken with you.
Before the appointment
Write down your goal in one sentence.
“I want him to be able to eat peanut butter” and “I want an accidental bite to stop being an emergency” lead to different conversations and often different treatments.
Note your child’s reaction history.
What happened, how much of the food was involved, whether epinephrine was used.
Note any asthma, eczema, or swallowing problems.
These affect which treatments are suitable.
Be honest with yourself about what your family can manage — daily dosing, regular clinic visits, cost.
There is no right answer, but the honest one leads to a better plan and better quality of life for you and your child.
Questions to ask
About your situation
Given my child’s history and age, what treatments are realistic options?
What would you expect a good outcome to look like for us?
Is there any reason my child should not try immunotherapy?
About what they offer
Which treatments do you offer here?
How many patients have you treated this way, and for how long?
What does the schedule look like — how many visits, how long are the visits, over what period of time?
What does it cost, in total, for the first year and after that?
About risk
What reactions should we expect, and how often?
What would you want us to do at home if one happens?
What would make you stop treatment?
About deciding
If we do nothing for a year, what changes?
Is there any reason to start sooner rather than later?
Can I take some information away and come back?
If they do not offer what you are asking about
Why it happens
This happens often, particularly with sublingual immunotherapy, which relatively few allergists provide. It is worth understanding why before deciding what to do.
Sometimes it is a clinical judgment
Sometimes the answer is a clinical judgment about your child — their age, their history, their asthma. That is worth listening to carefully. Your allergist will know things about your child that no website does.
Sometimes it is the practice
Sometimes it is that the practice does not offer it. That is not a judgment about the treatment. It is a fact about the practice, and it is a fair thing to ask directly: “Is this something you don’t recommend, or something you don’t provide?” The answer tells you what to do next.
A second opinion is normal. If it is a clinical judgment you want a second opinion on, say so plainly. Asking for one is normal and most allergists will not take offense. A second opinion does not have to mean leaving.
After the appointment
Write down what was said while you remember it, including anything you want to look up.
If a treatment was recommended, ask for the plan in writing.
If you decided against treatment for now, ask when it would make sense to revisit.
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