Children’s Allergy Services

A clinic that puts children first

At Harmony Allergy & Immunology Clinic, paediatric allergy isn’t one of several things we do. It’s the only thing we do. Every patient who walks through our door is a child or teenager, and every day is spent thinking about how allergic conditions show up, evolve, and are best managed in young bodies.

Food allergy is more common here in Australia than almost anywhere else in the world. Roughly 1 in 10 Australian babies will be diagnosed with one before turning one, and by school age that figure sits closer to 1 in 20. Add eczema — present in 15–20% of children — and hay fever, which tends to emerge by the school years, and it’s easy to see why so many kids are dealing with more than one allergic condition simultaneously.

Allergic conditions in kids tend to shift and evolve — a pattern clinicians call the atopic march, where eczema in infancy often paves the way for food allergy, and later, asthma or hay fever. Research from the Australian HealthNuts study found infants with eczema were five times more likely to be allergic to peanut, egg or sesame than infants without it (1 in 5, versus 1 in 25). Family history compounds the risk further — up to 30% of eczema-affected babies with allergy in the family go on to develop a food allergy, and up to 40% develop asthma or hay fever later on. Identifying this trajectory early, and managing it properly, genuinely changes outcomes.

Some of the most consequential choices happen in a baby’s first twelve months. Rather than delaying exposure, current Australian guidance favours introducing allergenic foods — peanut and egg in particular — early. Helping families navigate this safely, especially when there’s already anxiety about allergy in the household, is a routine part of what we do.

Telehealth Consultations Available

Conditions we manage

Food allergy

(including immediate IgE-mediated reactions and delayed presentations like FPIES and eosinophilic oesophagitis)

Hay fever (allergic rhinitis)

Eczema (atopic dermatitis)

Drug Allergy

Insect and venom allergy

Hives (urticaria) and swelling (angioedema)

How we diagnose

Everything starts with a thorough conversation about your child’s history — what triggers symptoms, when, and how. Depending on what that reveals, we may follow up with:

  • Skin prick testing
  • Blood tests for specific IgE
  • Supervised challenge testing with food or medication, which remains the gold standard for confirming or ruling out a true allergy


Every step is carried out in a space designed around children, and we walk you through what each result actually means.

Ongoing treatment

Care plans are built around the individual child, not a one-size-fits-all protocol. Depending on the diagnosis, this might involve:

  • Oral immunotherapy for certain food allergies
  • Immunotherapy (desensitisation) for environmental allergens or insect venom
  • Structured eczema management
  • Antihistamines, nasal sprays, or saline rinses to manage hay fever
  • Training in ASCIA action plans and adrenaline device use — for parents, carers, and school staff alike


There’s genuine reason for optimism here: most childhood allergies improve with time, and many are outgrown entirely. Around 70% of children eventually grow out of eczema, and a meaningful share outgrow milk or egg allergy as well. What we aim to leave you with is clarity — a firm diagnosis and a workable plan that travels with your child, whether they’re at home, at daycare, or at school.

References

  1. National Allergy Centre of Excellence (NACE). (2026, January 20). Updated ASCIA Guideline aims to reduce food allergy risk in infants. Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. https://www.nace.org.au/knowledge-hub/news-media/2026/updated-ascia-guideline-aims-to-reduce-food-allergy-risk-in-infants/
  2. Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) & National Allergy Strategy. New allergy guidelines for schools and children’s education/care. https://www.allergy.org.au/about-ascia/info-updates/new-allergy-guidelines-to-protect-children-from-severe-allergic-reactions-in-schools-and-childcare
  3. Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia. Eczema. https://allergyfacts.org.au/__interest/eczema/

Questions? We got you.

How do I book an appointment?

The first step in booking an appointment is to obtain a referral from your GP or another specialist. While a referral is not required, having one enables you to claim applicable Medicare rebates and helps our team appropriately triage your condition for review. Once you have your referral, you can schedule an appointment by booking online or contacting our practice directly and uploading your referral – our team will be in touch to schedule an appointment

Please bring a valid referral letter, Medicare card, and any recent investigation results, previous skin prick or patch testing reports, and relevant medical correspondence. For children, bringing their red book with recent growth measurements is also helpful.

Avoid antihistamines for 3–5 days before your appointment, as they can affect skin testing. You may continue nose sprays, asthma medications, antibiotics, and steroid creams. Do not apply moisturisers or topical steroids on areas likely to be tested (for example forearms, legs, back).

If you are suffering from a condition that you need to take oral anti histamines or steroids to control to manage your symptoms, continue to take those medications. Our doctors can arrange other forms of testing if required after the consultation.

Initial appointments approximately take around an hour, which may include skin prick testing if required. Follow-up appointments are typically shorter.

Absolutely. A referral from your GP or another specialist helps us triage your case appropriately and enables you to claim applicable Medicare rebates, though it isn’t required to book. Simply upload your referral online and our team will contact you to schedule your telehealth appointment, or you can book via Healthengine. More information regarding can be found HERE

Harmony Allergy & Immunology Clinic is conveniently accessible by public transport, including Translink bus services. The Sunnybank clinic offers free onsite parking and street parking is also available around the Sunnybank hospital.

Skin prick testing applies a small amount of allergen (commercial extract or fresh food) to the skin which is then gently pricked to check for a reaction. The test takes 1–2 minutes, with results read after 15–20 minutes. Your doctor will determine if it’s appropriate for you.

Allergy testing is done by trained staff in a fully equipped medical setting. Reactions are rare, usually limited to mild itchiness at the test site, and can be promptly treated if needed.

Ensure you are well and avoid antihistamines 3–5 days before the test. Bring entertainment (toys, books, iPad, laptops) and for children, their favourite foods. You may need to bring the food or drug being tested which the staff will advise. We do not recommend bringing siblings; if necessary, bring an extra support person.

Ensure you are well before your appointment. You will be monitored by a health practitioner for at least 30 minutes after your immunotherapy dose. If taking your medication or vaccine home, please bring a small cooler with ice pack.

Are you ready to request an appointment?

Schedule a consultation with our experts to discuss your allergy needs.