Why It Matters Who Treats You
Why a Board-Certified Allergist/Immunologist
Allergic conditions are immune system disorders. A trained and board-certified pediatric and adult Allergist/Immunologist is best qualified to safely perform and interpret allergy testing and manage allergy treatment — and at our office, a board-certified Allergist/Immunologist is on-site for every visit.
What board certification in this specialty actually means
An Allergist/Immunologist finishes medical school, completes a residency in pediatrics or internal medicine, then completes an additional fellowship in allergy and immunology, and then passes a certifying examination. Board certification is the formal, verifiable statement that a physician has completed that pathway and been examined on it — not a self-description.
Sher Allergy Specialists’ doctors are double board-certified in Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in addition to Internal Medicine or Pediatrics. Drs Mandel Sher and Johana Castro, both hold certification from the American Board of Allergy & Immunology and the American Board of Pediatrics.
Experience matters. Allergic conditions are immune system disorders, and a board-certified Allergist/Immunologist is specially trained to diagnose, treat and manage allergies, asthma and other immune system disorders.
Where the difference shows up
Choosing the tests
The optimal number of tests are applied for effective diagnosis and treatment decisions.
Oral food challenges
Oral food challenges must be performed by a trained and board-certified Allergist, as they are the only doctors specially trained in monitoring the immune system’s response during the food challenge and addressing emergencies.
Knowing when it is not allergy
Recurrent infections, chronic cough, chronic hives and unexplained reactions frequently arrive labeled as allergy and turn out to be something else — or something more. Recognizing that requires immunology training, not a test kit.
Managing long treatment relationships
Immunotherapy and biologic therapy run for years. Dosing, seasons, new symptoms and reactions all have to be judged by someone who has managed thousands of these courses.
A specialist is on-site, every visit
A board-certified Allergist/Immunologist is on-site for every visit and is available 24/7/365 to address your needs. Our expert Allergists lead the care team and are on-site for every clinic visit, and our team ensures an Allergist is available 24/7 every day in case of emergency.
This is worth asking about anywhere you receive specialty care. Many practices are staffed day to day by clinicians other than the specialist, with physician oversight arranged in the background. That is a legitimate model — but it is a different one, and patients are entitled to know which model they are walking into, especially when a visit involves skin testing, a food challenge, an immunotherapy build-up or a first biologic dose. At Sher Allergy Specialists, your allergy skin tests are personally measured and read by a physician or physician assistant, with physician oversight and interpretation, rather than simply recorded by a technician or medical assistant for later review.
Getting it right from the start
Our patient care philosophy is to do the least medicine to achieve the most good. A trial-and-error approach used by other doctors may waste time and money, plus carry the added risks of side effects of unnecessary medications, procedures and testing.
The Sher Allergy team is nationally recognized as leaders in the field and is dedicated to getting your allergy problems right from the start — avoiding wasted time and money and the risky side effects of unnecessary tests and treatments. Every first-visit evaluation begins by practicing the art of listening: to your allergy journey, your history, and what has already been tried.
We offer a range of evidence-based and FDA-approved treatments, including non-pharmacological options, so all patients receive the best possible care. To optimize your long-term success, we are available to help you every step of the way and coordinate with your other doctors.
Questions worth asking any allergy practice
You should get a direct answer to every one of these, at any practice. At our Largo office the answers are: yes; yes, on-site every visit; same visit whenever possible; a board-certified Allergist; an Allergist available 24/7 every day; and yes — your allergist sends a letter to your primary care or referring doctor after your visit.
- Is the physician board-certified in Allergy and Immunology — and in pediatrics, if the patient is a child?
- Will a board-certified specialist be on-site during my visit, and who is reading my test results?
- Are skin testing and interpretation done during the same visit, or do I come back?
- Who supervises an oral food challenge, and what happens if there is a reaction?
- Who do I reach after hours if something goes wrong with a shot or a new therapy?
- Will the practice communicate with my primary care doctor?
Common questions about specialist care
My primary care doctor already prescribes my allergy medicine. Why see a specialist?
Because medication management answers a different question than diagnosis does. Allergic conditions are immune system disorders, and a board-certified Allergist/Immunologist is specially trained to diagnose, treat and manage them — including identifying the specific triggers, testing for what is actually driving symptoms, and offering therapies such as immunotherapy and biologics that change the underlying process instead of masking it. Your allergist will also write to your primary care doctor so your care stays coordinated.
Will I actually see the doctor at my appointment?
A board-certified Allergist is on-site for every clinic visit. We also have a highly trained physician assistant involved in the ongoing care of our patients — doing follow-up visits only, never new-patient evaluations, and always overseen on-site by a board-certified Allergist, at every visit. If you would like to confirm which physician you are scheduled with, our office team will tell you when you call.
Can a board-certified allergist see both my child and me?
Yes. Because we are adult and pediatric Allergists/Immunologists, a child and family can grow up with us and be expertly managed within our practice as they transition from childhood to adulthood. Families frequently see the same practice across two and three generations.
Are at-home allergy test kits a reasonable substitute?
No. Alternative DIY testing and treatment kits are expensive, often produce inaccurate results, and leave you on your own to interpret the implications and action steps. Food allergy testing and desensitization therapy in particular can be dangerous and should not be done at home.
What happens after hours or in an emergency?
Our team ensures an Allergist is available 24/7 every day in case of emergency. For any anaphylactic reaction — a multi-system, life-threatening event — call 911 and use epinephrine as prescribed first; an anaphylactic response requires immediate emergency care.
See the specialist trained for this
Call our friendly Sher Allergy team to schedule an evaluation with a board-certified Allergist/Immunologist at our Largo office.
Largo Professional Center
11200 Seminole Blvd #310
Largo, FL 33778
Monday 8:00-5:00
Tuesday 9:00-6:00
Wednesday 8:00-5:00
Thursday 8:00-5:00
Friday 8:00-12:00