Daniel Chang's Immunotherapy and Seasonal Allergies

Daniel Chang, Chicago, IL, University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, Class of 2026

Ever since I was young, I struggled with what I thought was “just a stuffy nose.” Growing up in a smaller town, I never had access to an ENT (ear, nose, and throat) doctor, so I always just came to the conclusion that I had a weak immune system and would get sick easily. I remember my parents even took me to a traditional Korean medicine center, where I was promptly told to rub warm green onions on my nose to clear my sinuses. My “stuffy nose” also caused migraines to the point my doctor prescribed me an inhaler just so I could breathe properly. I never thought this would be from allergies.

After moving to Chicago, I realized there was an ENT doctor near my house. My parents suggested that we visit just to see if they had any insight on my “stuffy nose.” When I went into the office, they brought out a testing kit for allergies. Inside the kit there were 12 needles with common environmental allergens, and the doctors wanted to see which allergens my body would react to. They pressed the needles into my right arm, with enough force that the needles would break the skin but lightly enough that the allergens wouldn’t reach my blood stream. I had allergic reactions to all 12 allergens, which the doctors had never seen before. They tested me with 3 more kits, each with 12 needles, and I found out that day that I was allergic to about 25 different environmental allergens, including 3 different types of trees and a few types of grass. My doctor suggested immunotherapy, a way of strengthening my immune system by effectively exposing it to small doses of allergens each day, similar to what a vaccine does with viruses. My doctor told me that there were 2 main forms of immunotherapy: either with daily shots or with small drops I would put under my tongue. For me, the answer was obvious. I hated shots, and also couldn’t afford to go to the ENT doctor every day. Immunotherapy was a big part of my life for almost 3 years. At a specific time each day, I would use a dropper to put 3 drops of a solution with my allergens under my tongue. I would keep it there for 2 minutes before swallowing.

My allergies have also greatly affected my athletic career. As a golfer, I spend long hours outdoors interacting with different types of grass and trees. I’ve had to start wearing long pants in case I brushed against a type of native grass I was allergic to. I’ve had to start carrying Benadryl and Zyrtec pills in my bag just in case of an emergency. I had to keep nasal sprays on my person in case I had a reaction to flying pollen. One particular situation I remember vividly was at the Illinois State Junior Amateur, the biggest tournament in all of Illinois. I remember being on the 12th hole of the tournament after having played very well up until that point. The hole had a ton of trees, many of which were pollinating, and native grass on both sides. The weather had also been very unusual; there was a warning for dust fog that day, which was one of my allergens. As I was getting ready to hit the ball, I felt something drip down my nose. At first, I didn’t think much of it. I thought it was just snot. But, it was, in fact, a massive bloody nose that would not stop no matter how many tissues I used. I knew I didn’t feel great earlier that round, but I took 2 Zyrtec pills and thought I would be fine. After my bloody nose, I completely lost focus and played the rest of the course terribly. In this way, my environmental allergies have truly hindered my abilities as a golfer and as an athlete.