Food Allergy Specialist &
Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) in Carmel, Indiana
At Inspire Allergy and Asthma, Dr. Anita Sivam provides comprehensive food allergy evaluation and advanced treatment for children and adults with suspected or confirmed food allergies. As one of the few allergists in the Carmel and Indianapolis area offering oral immunotherapy (OIT), she helps families move beyond avoidance alone with evidence-based treatment options tailored to each patient.
Why Families Seek OIT at Inspire Allergy and Asthma
Living with food allergies can feel overwhelming, with constant label reading, fear of accidental exposures, and anxiety around everyday experiences like school, restaurants, and travel. Many families seek oral immunotherapy (OIT) not because they expect a cure, but because they want greater peace of mind and added protection. At Inspire Allergy and Asthma, Dr. Anita Sivam is one of the few allergists in the Carmel and greater Indianapolis area offering OIT, providing families with personalized guidance and advanced food allergy treatment close to home.
Why choose Inspire for OIT?
-Direct physician oversight by board-certified allergist
-Personalized protocols tailored to patient age, allergen, and goals
-Access to your allergist between visits for questions/reactions
-Comprehensive counseling on risks, benefits, and expectations
-Experience managing complex food allergy cases
What food allergies do you treat?
At Inspire Allergy & Asthma, Dr. Anita Sivam evaluates children and adults with suspected or confirmed food allergies, including peanut, tree nut, egg, milk, wheat, soy, sesame, fish, and shellfish allergy. For appropriate patients, treatment options may include avoidance counseling, epinephrine education, oral food challenges, Xolair®, and oral immunotherapy for peanut, tree nut, and select other food allergies.
What is OIT?
Oral immunotherapy (OIT) is a proactive food allergy treatment that helps patients build tolerance over time by introducing tiny, carefully measured amounts of an allergen under medical supervision. At Inspire Allergy and Asthma, we offer OIT in Carmel, Indiana for select patients with food allergies, with close monitoring, detailed guidance, and direct access to a board-certified allergist throughout the process. For many families, OIT offers more than treatment. It offers freedom, confidence, and protection against accidental exposures.
OIT Pricing & What to Expect
STEP 1: FOOD ALLERGY EVALUATION & SHARED DECISION-MAKING
OIT is a gradual treatment process, and most patients should expect it to take approximately 9–12 months to reach maintenance, although every patient’s timeline is different.
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OIT is not automatically the right treatment for every patient. We begin with a comprehensive food allergy evaluation to review your history, prior reactions, testing, current level of avoidance, treatment goals, and overall medical history.
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Together, we will discuss whether OIT is an appropriate option for you or your child, including the potential benefits, risks, time commitment, daily dosing requirements, and alternatives.
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If OIT is a good fit and you decide to move forward with our program, we will create an individualized treatment plan and guide you through the build-up process with regular in-office up-dosing visits, daily home dosing, and ongoing support.
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The initial consultation, skin prick testing, lab testing, prescriptions, and other non-OIT care are billed separately.
STEP 2: PREPARE FOR OIT
Once you and Dr. Sivam have decided together to move forward with OIT, your program includes a dedicated treatment preparation visit.
During this visit, we review your personalized treatment plan, dosing expectations, safety precautions, home dosing instructions, and next steps before treatment begins.
STEP 3: BEGIN THE BUILD-UP PHASE
Most patients should expect OIT build-up to take approximately 9–12 months before reaching maintenance. Because every patient progresses differently, the exact timeline can vary.
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PAYMENT OPTIONS
Monthly
$595/month
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6-Month Prepayment
$3,300 for the first 6 months
Save $270 compared with monthly payments.
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12-Month Prepayment
$6,300 for 12 months
Save $840 compared with monthly payments.
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IMPORTANT:
-The 6-month prepayment covers the first 6 months of OIT treatment only. It does not represent the total cost of the full OIT build-up.
STEP 4: WHAT IS INCLUDED DURING BUILD-UP?
Your OIT build-up fee includes:
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• Customized OIT treatment planning
• Scheduled in-office up-dosing visits, typically every 1–2 weeks
• Daily home dosing guidance
• Ongoing OIT-related communication and support
• Reaction and emergency planning
• Guidance for illness, travel, missed doses, and activity
• Help with food preparation and dosing products when needed
Food products used for OIT are purchased separately.
STEP 5: REACH MAINTENANCE
Once your maintenance dose is reached, you will continue eating your allergen regularly at home to maintain your protection.
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OIT Maintenance Program
$100/month
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The maintenance program provides ongoing OIT oversight and support as you continue treatment.
STEP 6: CONSIDER A HIGH-DOSE FOOD CHALLENGE
After reaching maintenance, we will review your progress and determine together whether a high-dose food challenge is appropriate.
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A high-dose food challenge may be used to help evaluate your response to treatment and better understand the level of protection achieved with OIT.
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High-Dose Food Challenge
$475
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This is billed separately from the OIT build-up and maintenance program.
STEP 7: LONG-TERM OIT FOLLOW-UP
Maintenance follow-up visits are required approximately every 6 months to review your progress and make any necessary adjustments to your treatment plan.
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Maintenance Follow-Up Visit
$175
ADDITIONAL COSTS TO KNOW ABOUT
Food products used for OIT are not included in the program fee.
Additional services such as laboratory testing, prescriptions, or treatment for unrelated conditions may be billed separately.
Appointments for non-OIT concerns such as asthma, eczema, or environmental allergies are also billed separately.
TREATING MORE THAN ONE FOOD?
Each additional food allergen has a separate OIT fee. Your exact treatment plan and pricing will be reviewed with you before beginning therapy.
WHAT SHOULD I BUDGET FOR THE OIT BUILD-UP PHASE?
Most patients reach maintenance in approximately 9–12 months.
For one food, plan to budget approximately $5,000–$7,140 for the OIT build-up phase, depending on how long it takes to reach maintenance and which payment option you choose.
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Initial consultation/testing, OIT food products, and maintenance costs are separate.
QUESTIONS?
Please don't hesitate to contact us.
OIT Costs & What to Expect
Step 1: FOOD ALLERGY EVALUATION & SHARED DECISION-MAKING
OIT is a gradual treatment process, and most patients should expect it to take approximately 9–12 months to reach maintenance, although every patient’s timeline is different.
​
OIT is not automatically the right treatment for every patient. We begin with a comprehensive food allergy evaluation to review your history, prior reactions, testing, current level of avoidance, treatment goals, and overall medical history.
​
Together, we will discuss whether OIT is an appropriate option for you or your child, including the potential benefits, risks, time commitment, daily dosing requirements, and alternatives.
​
If OIT is a good fit and you decide to move forward with our program, we will create an individualized treatment plan and guide you through the build-up process with regular in-office up-dosing visits, daily home dosing, and ongoing support.
​
The initial consultation, skin prick testing, lab testing, prescriptions, and other non-OIT care are billed separately.
OIT Pricing & What to Expect
Step 1: FOOD ALLERGY EVALUATION & SHARED DECISION-MAKING
OIT is a gradual treatment process, and most patients should expect it to take approximately 9–12 months to reach maintenance, although every patient’s timeline is different.
​
OIT is not automatically the right treatment for every patient. We begin with a comprehensive food allergy evaluation to review your history, prior reactions, testing, current level of avoidance, treatment goals, and overall medical history.
​
Together, we will discuss whether OIT is an appropriate option for you or your child, including the potential benefits, risks, time commitment, daily dosing requirements, and alternatives.
​
If OIT is a good fit and you decide to move forward with our program, we will create an individualized treatment plan and guide you through the build-up process with regular in-office up-dosing visits, daily home dosing, and ongoing support.
​
The initial consultation, skin prick testing, lab testing, prescriptions, and other non-OIT care are billed separately.
What Should I Budget For the OIT Build Up Phase?
OIT buildup costs vary depending on how long it takes to reach maintenance and which payment option you choose. As a general estimate, families should plan to budget about $5,500–$7,500 for the buildup phase of OIT.
Questions?
Please don't hesitate to contact us.
Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) FAQ
OIT is not a cure, but it can significantly reduce the risk of severe reactions due to accidental exposure and is an important treatment option for many families seeking food allergy care in Carmel, Indiana. Some patients may achieve a level of tolerance that allows them to freely consume the food (remission), but continued regular ingestion is often required to maintain protection.
The timeline for oral immunotherapy varies based on the patient, the food allergen, and how the patient responds during the buildup and maintenance phases.
For many families, oral immunotherapy is worth it because it offers a proactive approach to food allergy treatment instead of strict avoidance alone. OIT requires commitment, regular visits, and close follow-up with a food allergy specialist, but many families feel the increased safety and peace of mind are life-changing.
Patients undergoing oral immunotherapy (OIT) may experience allergic reactions, either from the treatment itself or accidental exposure to the allergen. For this reason, close monitoring by our medical team is essential. Potential side effects include:
Anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening reaction requiring immediate treatment with epinephrine and urgent medical care
Eosinophilic esophagitis, which can cause difficulty swallowing, a sensation of food sticking in the chest, vomiting, and abdominal pain
Gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, cramping, or vomiting
Skin reactions like rashes, hives, or throat itchiness
Yes. Even while undergoing OIT, carrying epinephrine at all times is essential in case of a serious allergic reaction.
This means you’ve successfully reached the maintenance phase of your treatment. After reaching maintenance, patients continue eating their allergen daily to maintain their tolerance. Regular follow-ups with your allergist help track progress and fine-tune your plan to ensure long-term success.
(Detailed information is below.) OIT build-up is $3,300 when paid upfront or $595/month for 6 months. Once the patient reaches maintenance, there is a $100/month maintenance program fee. Around 3 months after reaching maintenance, patients typically complete a high-dose challenge, billed separately at $475. Maintenance follow-up visits are required every 6 months and are billed at $175 per visit.
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Oral immunotherapy in Carmel, Indiana is an investment in safer daily life, greater confidence, and long-term food allergy support for your family.
If you are looking for a board-certified allergist offering OIT in Carmel, we are here to answer your questions and help you decide whether this treatment is the right fit.