Kanwaljit Brar, MD

As a pediatric allergy specialist with advanced training in dermatology, I care for children with complex eczema, also called atopic dermatitis, and food allergies. When children see me at the Pediatric Allergy Program at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone, I manage all of their allergic conditions, including food allergies, rhinitis (hay fever), asthma, drug allergy, eosinophilic esophagitis, and urticaria (hives). I work with families to create a tailored treatment that considers the full scope of their child’s condition and family lifestyle. I help guide food introductions and recommend supplementary foods.

I use skin-prick testing to diagnose environmental, drug, and food allergies, and patch testing for the diagnosis of contact allergies. After we have identified the cause of the allergies, I take a holistic approach to treatment. For atopic dermatitis this begins with step-by-step skin care guidance. We also pinpoint your child’s triggers, address scratching behaviors, and discuss any sleep concerns, all with the goal of helping your child avoid further irritation of the skin due to scratching. For particularly challenging cases of atopic dermatitis, I use wet wrap therapy to ease discomfort and immunosuppressive or biologic medications to provide your child with symptom relief.

I am the mother of three children with food allergies, eczema, and asthma. I understand how stressful a child’s allergies can be. As a youth, I was inspired to enter medicine when Doctors Without Borders was awarded the 1999 Nobel Peace Prize, and in medical school I was president of Physicians for Social Responsibility. I truly believe physicians can make a difference in people’s lives. I hope that by easing the discomfort and anxiety children and families experience due to allergies, I am doing my part.