Allergies to dust mites undergo desensitization treatment. Can't children be too young to do it?

Patient's question:

Hello. My child is 5 years old. He has dust mite allergy and indoor dust mite allergy and needs desensitization treatment. Is there an age limit? If so, what age can one start? Patient's age: Born in August 2004

Doctor's answer:

Who is eligible for desensitization treatment? Currently, the main targets of desensitization treatment for children are those with a history of allergies, suffering from mild to moderate asthma and allergic rhinitis, especially those allergic to dust mites.
How long does desensitization treatment last? Desensitization treatment is divided into an initial treatment phase and a maintenance treatment phase. The initial phase involves weekly injections, starting from a low dose and gradually increasing to a maintenance dose, which takes approximately 4–6 months. The maintenance phase involves injections every 6–8 weeks. The total treatment duration is about 3 years.
Where is desensitization treatment conducted? When using standardized allergen extracts, each injection must be administered in a desensitization treatment room at the hospital, followed by a 30-minute observation period. Allergen extracts require refrigeration in the treatment room.
How effective is desensitization treatment? Taking dust mite desensitization treatment as an example, it can significantly alleviate asthma symptoms, reduce the dosage of asthma medication, and lessen skin sensitivity reactions to dust mite allergens.
Does desensitization treatment have side effects? Some patients may experience local redness, swelling, and itching at the injection site, while a very small number may develop asthma or rhinitis symptoms. These side effects can be quickly controlled with symptomatic treatment. Anaphylaxis is extremely rare. If necessary, antiallergic medication may be taken 30 minutes before treatment as preventive medication, as advised by the doctor.
Do patients need to take other asthma or rhinitis medications during desensitization treatment? Depending on the severity of the child's asthma and rhinitis, as well as the progress of desensitization treatment, the doctor will adjust asthma or rhinitis medications accordingly. As the effectiveness of desensitization treatment becomes apparent, the dosage of other related medications will gradually decrease.