Allergy and Immunology

The Section of Allergy and Immunology has provided continuous service to thousands of adult and pediatric patients with chronic allergic diseases for over 40 years. Through the outpatient clinical office at Norton Children's Allergy & Immunology, treatment and consultation are available for a wide range of allergic diseases, including asthma, allergic rhinitis (hay fever), recurrent sinusitis, food and drug allergies, atopic dermatitis (eczema), hives, stinging insect allergy, and primary immune deficiencies.

The faculty is actively involved in teaching medical students and pediatric, internal medicine, and family practice residents. The rotation is available to pediatric, internal medicine, and family practice residents as an elective.

We offer these services as they relate to the treatment of asthma, allergy, and related illnesses:

• Allergy skin testing and specific allergen immunotherapy (allergy shots)

• Pulmonary function (lung) testing
• Venom testing for stinging insect and venom immunotherapy
• Food allergy testing and challenges
• Aspirin testing and desensitization
• Local anesthetic testing
• Antibiotic testing
• Patient education: avoidance of allergens and triggers, asthma management plans, food avoidance
• Evaluation for primary immune deficiencies and recurrent infections (in conjunction with the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases)

Pulmonology

The pediatric pulmonology team provides comprehensive care of lung diseases over the entire pediatric age group, which include:

Pediatric Pulmonary Center specializes in caring for children who have a variety of respiratory disorders. Careful consideration is given to prescribe the best possible method of therapy following nationally accepted guidelines where applicable for treating: infantile wheezing, chronic lung disease of prematurity (bronchopulmonary dysplasia), upper airway obstruction, pneumonia, bronchiectasis, pulmonary mycosis, pulmonary fibrosis, and childhood interstitial lung disease.

Cystic Fibrosis Center is one of 120 centers in the United States accredited by the National Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  We provide diagnosis and multidisciplinary specialized care for cystic fibrosis patients. Our multidisciplinary team consists of two respiratory therapists, two registered nurses, a nurse practitioner, a dietician, a pharmacist and a clinical social worker.  We also have support from the Bingham clinic for mental health services as well as from endocrinology and gastroenterology as needed.

Childhood Asthma Care and Education Center offers comprehensive, state-of-the-art, therapeutic strategies to children with all stages of asthma severity, including the most severe cases.  We also work closely with Norton Children’s Hospital to ensure that children with asthma are receiving exceptional care in both the inpatient and outpatient settings.

Technology Dependent Center, directed by Ron Morton, MD is a center specializing in the care of medically complex and fragile children who are dependent on home mechanical ventilation and have a tracheostomy.  Weekly rounds are also conducted at the 14-bed chronic ventilator unit at the Pediatric Convalescent Center of Home of the Innocents.

Pulmonary Function Laboratory at Norton Children’s Hospital interprets and performs pulmonary functions tests in infants and children. Spirometry, lung volumes (by both body plethysmography and nitrogen washout), impulse oscillometry, diffusion capacity, methacholine challenge test, exercise challenge test, and noninvasive oxygen monitoring are all available at this facility.

Pediatric Pulmonology Fellowship Program