Pediatric Allergy Immunotherapy focuses on disease-modifying treatments that aim to reduce sensitivity to allergens and, in some cases, achieve sustained unresponsiveness. This session examines the science and practice of allergen immunotherapy in children, including subcutaneous, sublingual, and oral approaches for respiratory and food allergy. Families increasingly seek options beyond strict avoidance, and clinicians turn to a dedicated Pediatrics Conference to understand indications, protocols, safety considerations, and long-term outcomes in real-world settings.

A central theme is identifying which children are suitable candidates for immunotherapy and how to balance potential benefits against risks and treatment burden. Participants will review mechanisms of immune tolerance, biomarkers of response, and clinical trial evidence for conditions such as allergic rhinitis, venom allergy, and selected food allergies. The session will compare traditional injection-based immunotherapy with newer sublingual and oral immunotherapy approaches, highlighting differences in efficacy, safety profiles, adherence demands, and family preferences.

The session emphasises building clear pediatric immunotherapy care pathways that guide patient selection, shared decision-making, dosing schedules, escalation protocols, and management of adverse events. Case examples will illustrate how to counsel families about expected timelines, side-effect profiles, emergency plans, and the importance of adherence. Participants will also explore practical issues such as clinic infrastructure, observation periods, access to emergency medications, and coordination with schools or community settings where accidental exposures may still occur.

Attention will be given to psychosocial aspects of immunotherapy, including anxiety about reactions, hope for dietary or activity freedom, and the emotional impact of partial or non-response. The session will discuss how to integrate psychological support, dietetic input, and ongoing allergy education into immunotherapy programmes. Participants will further consider equity and access challenges, including availability of immunotherapy products, reimbursement policies, and geographic disparities in specialist services. Discussion will include strategies for prioritising high-need patients, using telehealth for selected follow-up visits, and collaborating with regional centres to share expertise. The session will also touch on emerging research directions such as combination therapies with biologic agents, novel allergen preparations, and personalised dosing strategies informed by biomarkers. Finally, attendees will reflect on how to capture and communicate long-term outcomes, including quality-of-life improvements, reduced healthcare utilisation, and changes in dietary or environmental restrictions, ensuring that immunotherapy programmes truly deliver meaningful benefits for children and their families. Taken together, these perspectives will equip clinicians to make thoughtful, evidence-based decisions about immunotherapy, integrating scientific advances with practical realities in diverse clinical environments.