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Updated: Apr 24, 2026
Sublingual Immunotherapy as an Alternative to Induce Protection Against Acute Respiratory Infections
Published on: August 30, 2014
Sublingual immunotherapy in children: the recent experiences
Nicole Pleskovic1, Ashton Bartholow, David P Skoner
1aDivision of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh bTemple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Insights
Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) offers a safe and effective treatment for pediatric allergic rhinitis and rhinoconjunctivitis. This allergy treatment shows comparable efficacy to injections with fewer adverse events.
Area of Science:
- Allergy and Immunology
- Pediatric Medicine
Background:
- Allergic rhinitis and rhinoconjunctivitis affect many children.
- Environmental allergens like pollen and dust mites are common triggers.
- Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is an alternative treatment option.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent studies on SLIT for pediatric environmental allergies.
- To compare SLIT's efficacy, safety, and immunological effects against other treatments.
- To examine data for ragweed, grass pollen, and dust mite allergies.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent and relevant scientific literature.
- Comparative analysis of SLIT versus subcutaneous immunotherapy, therapeutic treatments, and placebo.
- Examination of efficacy, safety, and immunological outcomes.
Main Results:
- SLIT demonstrated similar efficacy to subcutaneous immunotherapy in treating grass and dust mite allergies.
- SLIT was found to be a safer therapy with fewer anaphylaxis and local reactions.
- SLIT significantly improved symptom and medication scores compared to therapeutic treatments and placebo.
Conclusions:
- SLIT is a well-tolerated and effective treatment for pediatric allergic rhinitis and rhinoconjunctivitis.
- FDA-approved SLIT tablets are available for grass and ragweed allergies.
- This review provides valuable information for physicians seeking alternative pediatric allergy treatments.
Purpose Of Review:
Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is indicated for the use in pediatric patients suffering from allergic rhinitis or allergic rhinoconjunctivitis caused by environmental allergens, such as ragweed pollen, grass pollen, and dust mite. This review focuses on recent and relevant studies associated with the use of SLIT for these allergens in children by examining efficacy, safety, and immunological data in comparison to subcutaneous immunotherapy, therapeutic treatments, and placebo.
Recent Findings:
In several of the case studies examined in this article, involving mainly grass and dust mite allergic patients, SLIT has been shown to have similar efficacy to subcutaneous immunotherapy. SLIT has been proven as a safer therapy. In comparing the adverse events related to both therapies, SLIT has fewer cases of anaphylaxis and fewer incidents of local reactions of mild-to-moderate severity. In comparison to therapeutic treatments and placebo, SLIT significantly improved symptom and medication scores. In addition to allergic rhinitis and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, additional uses for SLIT in pediatric patients, such as asthma, atopic dermatitis, and food allergies, are under development.
Summary:
SLIT treatment is a well tolerated and effective approach to treat allergic rhinitis and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis in pediatric patients. Three SLIT tablets are currently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat grass and ragweed allergies. The research discussed in this review will further the knowledge of physicians searching for an alternative treatment for their pediatric patients.
