The Itch: Allergies, Asthma, Eczema & Immunology

Asthma is one of the most common long-term conditions in children. It is a leading cause of missed school and emergency room visits. Doctors use tools (validated questionnaires) to assess how well a child’s asthma is controlled and whether their medicine is helping. Some tools only ask about symptoms, which can miss children who are still at risk for asthma attacks.

The lead author, Dr. Kevin Murphy, joins us to talk about “Pediatric Asthma Impairment and Risk Questionnaire: A Control Assessment for Children Aged 5 to 11 Years,” published July 2025 in Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice.

The Peds-AIRQ was designed to improve how doctors identify uncontrolled asthma in children by asking about both current symptoms and past asthma attacks. This approach helps avoid missing children who may seem okay day to day but are at higher risk for future flare-ups.

What we cover in this episode

Why asthma control in children can be hard to measure

What “controlled asthma” really means

Why past asthma attacks matter, even when symptoms seem mild

What the Peds-AIRQ is and how it works

How this tool may support better conversations between families and doctors

DOWNLOAD THE INFOGRAPHIC

More asthma in kids resources 

Take the Peds-AIRQ questionnaire 

What is asthma?

Asthma in Babies and Children

Childhood Asthma: A Complex Condition That Doesn’t Have to Be So Complicated - video

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The Itch Review, hosted by Dr. Gupta, Kortney, and Dr. Blaiss, explores allergy and immunology studies, breaking down complex research in conversations accessible to clinicians, patients, and caregivers. Each episode provides key insights from journal articles and includes a one-page infographic in the show notes for easy reference.

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Made in partnership with The Allergy & Asthma Network.

Thanks to AstraZeneca for sponsoring today’s episode. 

This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider for any medical concerns.

Sleep plays a critical role in managing allergies, asthma, and eczema, yet it is often overlooked in conversations about allergic disease.

Sleep affects mood, focus, immune function, and inflammation, all of which influence how allergic conditions show up day to day. Poor sleep can worsen asthma symptoms, increase allergy flares, and make eczema harder to control. At the same time, allergies and asthma can disrupt sleep, creating a cycle that is difficult to break.

Dr. Carol Yuan-Duclair, a sleep specialist, joins us to explore how sleep impacts allergic conditions and overall health. She breaks down what good sleep actually looks like, how to know if you are getting enough rest, and how sleep quality can directly affect allergies, asthma, and eczema.

This conversation focuses on practical guidance for patients and families, including environmental changes, medication considerations, and when it may be time to seek help from a sleep specialist.

What we cover in this episode about sleep and allergic disease

Why sleep is essential for health and immune function: How sleep affects inflammation, mood, and overall health, and why poor sleep can worsen allergic disease.

What good quality sleep actually looks like: The difference between sleep quality and sleep quantity, and how to tell if your sleep is truly restorative.

The two-way relationship between sleep and allergies: How allergies can disrupt sleep, and how poor sleep can worsen allergy symptoms, creating a difficult cycle.

Practical ways to improve sleep when you have allergies: Sleep hygiene basics, exercise timing, and creating a healthier bedroom environment.

When medications or symptoms mean it is time to see a specialist: How allergy medications can affect sleep, how eczema fits into the picture, and when ongoing sleep issues may signal the need for a sleep specialist.

Reading food labels can feel like a full-time job when you or your child has food allergies. Even when you know what to avoid, labels can still be confusing, especially when you run into “may contain” warnings.

Marion Groetch, a registered dietitian with decades of experience in food allergy care and education, joins us to unpack all things food labels. Together, we break down U.S. allergen labeling laws, what parts of the package actually matter, and why “may contain” statements are a much grayer area than most people realize. We also share practical tips for navigating so-called “mystery ingredients” like natural flavors and oils, when it is worth contacting a manufacturer, and how to avoid being more restrictive than necessary while still staying safe.

What we cover in our episode about food labels:

What U.S. labeling laws require: How FALCPA and the FASTER Act protect families by requiring clear disclosure of the Top 9 major allergens.

Where allergy information actually lives on a label: Why the ingredients list and “Contains” statement matter most, and why front-of-package claims should be ignored.

What “may contain” actually means: Why these statements are voluntary and unregulated, and what that means for real-world decision-making.

Foods that fall outside labeling laws: Common situations where allergen labeling is not required, including deli foods, restaurant meals, airline meals, and alcohol.

How to avoid over-restricting your diet: Practical guidance on mystery ingredients, higher-risk products, and when contacting a manufacturer actually makes sense.

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Made in partnership with The Allergy & Asthma Network.

Thanks to Genentech for sponsoring today’s episode.

This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider for any medical concerns.

Clonal mast cell disease is often missed because symptoms vary from person to person, tryptase levels can be normal, and bone marrow biopsies are hard to get. For some people, unexplained or very severe anaphylaxis may be an early sign of a clonal mast cell disease.

In this episode, we review “Prevalence of KIT D816V in anaphylaxis or systemic mast cell activation,” published in October 2025 in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. This paper, known as the PROSPECTOR trial, is looking at how often the KIT D816V mutation can be found using a blood test in adults who have had anaphylaxis or systemic mast cell activation symptoms.

We break down why KIT D816V matters, how it connects to systemic mastocytosis, why HaT needs to be considered, and how newer blood tests may help doctors catch clonal mast cell disease earlier.

What we cover in our episode about KIT D816V and anaphylaxis:

Setting the stage: Understanding mast cell activation and anaphylaxis.

Why KIT D816V matters: How this mutation fits into clonal mast cell disease, what blood testing can reveal, and when doctors still turn to a bone marrow biopsy.

Making sense of tryptase and hereditary alpha-tryptasemia (HaT): Why baseline tryptase, the “20% + 2” rule, and HaT can make screening more complicated than it seems.

What the PROSPECTOR trial uncovered: How often KIT D816V appeared in people with anaphylaxis, and other results on tryptase and HaT.

How this helps patients: What these findings mean for anyone with unexplained or severe anaphylaxis, and how doctors combine KIT testing, tryptase, HaT, and symptoms to decide on next steps.

Other podcast episodes about mast cell disease:

Ep. 127: Management of indolent mastocytosis - A clinical yardstick

Ep. 126: Management of mast cell activation syndrome - A clinical yardstick

Ep. 121: Avapritinib vs Placebo in Indolent Systemic Mastocytosis - PIONEER Trial

Ep. 118: The ISM Disconnect - Do Patients and Providers Agree on Symptom Control?

Ep. 70 How do stress and low histamine diets impact mast cell disease?

Ep. 63: Mast Cell Diseases & Systemic Mastocytosis: The Basic Science

Ep. 65: The Symptoms and Triggers of Mast Cell Disease

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The Itch Review, hosted by Dr. Gupta, Kortney, and Dr. Blaiss, explores allergy and immunology studies, breaking down complex research in conversations accessible to clinicians, patients, and caregivers. Each episode provides key insights from journal articles and includes a one-page infographic in the show notes for easy reference.

***********

Made in partnership with The Allergy & Asthma Network.

Thanks to Blueprint Medicines for sponsoring today’s episode. 

This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider for any medical concerns.

Persistent congestion, pressure, or a reduced sense of smell often gets mistaken for allergies or a stubborn cold when it may be something more, like chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). Getting the right diagnosis is the first step toward real relief.

Dr. Tonya Farmer, a board-certified ENT, joins Kortney and Dr. G to explain how chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is diagnosed. She walks us through the full evaluation: what symptoms matter, what a nasal endoscopy actually shows, when a CT scan is needed, and how type 2 inflammation fits into the picture.

What we cover about diagnosing CRSwNP:

Key symptoms: Persistent congestion, drainage, facial pressure, and especially loss of smell are major red flags for CRSwNP.

Why duration matters: Chronic means 12 weeks or longer. If symptoms keep coming back or never truly improve, it’s time to look deeper.

The physical exam: ENTs use nasal endoscopy to see swelling, mucus, or polyps that aren’t visible from the outside.

When CT scans are needed: Imaging helps confirm sinus inflammation and shows the extent of polyp growth.

Additional testing: Allergy testing, IgE levels, eosinophils, and other immune markers help identify type 2 inflammation and guide next steps.

When to see a specialist: If antibiotics, steroids, or over-the-counter treatments aren’t helping, ask for a referral to an allergist or ENT. Early diagnosis can prevent worsening symptoms and reduce the need for surgery.

Set the foundations: Ep. 133: What is Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps (CRSwNP)?

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Made in partnership with The Allergy & Asthma Network.

Thanks to Sanofi-Regeneron for sponsoring today’s episode. 

This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider for any medical concerns.