**Current Issues on Immunotherapy in Children**

**Current Issues on Immunotherapy in Children**

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.70298

Ivana Djuric-Filipovic, Snezana Zivanovic, Gordana Kostić, Djordje Filipovic, Marco Caminti and Zorica Zivkovic Gordana Kostić, Zorica Zivkovic, Djordje Filipovic and Marco Caminati Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

Ivana Djuric-Filipovic, Snezana Zivanovic,

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.70298

#### **Abstract**

Therapy of allergic diseases in children implicates avoidance of allergens, standard pharmacotherapy, and immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is the only treatment for allergic diseases with the ability to change the natural course of the disease, thus stopping its further progression as well as the development of new allergic diseases and new sensibilizations. The objective of this chapter is to give insight into the latest data on immunotherapy in treating children with allergic diseases. Methods: The study involved a search for relevant articles on the MEDLINE and PubMed up to 2017. Results: Numerous studies have shown that the sublingual application of allergen-specific immunotherapy is adequate, safe, and efficient in the therapy of immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated allergic diseases of the respiratory tract in children, but there are still some questions to be solved concerning the usage of SLIT in children younger than 5 years old, SLIT for polysensitized patients, duration of SLIT, long-lasting effects of SLIT. Conclusions: In order to improve the clinical efficacy of SLIT, we are looking for new routes of administration, new allergens, new protocols as well as combination of SLIT with other immune modulatory treatments.

**Keywords:** allergen immunotherapy, children, asthma, allergic rhinitis
