Food allergies have been on the rise over the years and, while there are theories, doctors haven’t been able to pinpoint a reason. What we do know, however, is that they can be very stressful and dangerous to deal with, especially for children.
It can be scary for parents to constantly worry about what their kids are eating and whether they’ll have a reaction. In Westchester, Latitude Food Allergy Care offers specialized care, with a new clinic in Rye Brook to meet patients’ needs. We spoke with Latitude’s board-certified allergist and immunologist Dr. Zoya Treyster to learn more about the clinic and what parents should keep in mind when seeking allergy support for their children.
Experienced Care
Before joining the team at Latitude, Treyster got her start working at Montefiore Einstein after graduating from her fellowship in 2019. Following Montefiore, she worked at a pediatric clinic in the Upper East Side. It was during this time that she was approached by the founder of Latitude Food Allergy Care; soon after, she began referring patients to Latitude’s clinics.
Treyster stepped into her role with Latitude on January 1, 2025, with her dedicated space in Rye Brook opening about a month later.
“Latitude is built by food-allergic families, for food-allergic families. We really prioritize the experience of the families, their anxiety, and the stress of carrying around food allergies,” Treyster shares. “Latitude goes to extraordinary lengths to meet the patient’s needs and make them feel comfortable and supported.”
A History of Healing
While Latitude may be new to Westchester, the brand’s history dates back to 2009, when founder and CEO Kimberley Yates’ daughter was suffering from food allergies. Yates met with Dr. Kari Nadeau and discussed how to treat her daughter, as well as the eight percent of children in the United States struggling from food allergies. The two put their heads together and, with their combined expertise, created the Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy & Asthma Research at Stanford University.
In 2018, the duo co-founded Latitude Food Allergy Care. By 2024, Latitude brought over 1,000 patients to the “maintenance dosing” stage of their oral immunotherapy treatment, making them significantly more resistant to their allergens.
What Is Oral Immunotherapy?
Oral immunotherapy, the main treatment offered at Latitude, is a relatively recent development in the food allergy space. One of the first times it was performed on a patient with multiple allergies in the U.S. was on the founder’s daughter, just 12 years ago.
The idea behind oral immunotherapy is to gradually introduce patients to their allergens on an incremental basis to build resistance. To start, patients ingest a small dose, and this dose increases over time through repeated visits. After ingesting their dose in the clinic, patient are monitored for reactions. New patients stay for a few hours, while established patients usually leave after an hour. Then patients ear that same amount each day at home. This is repeated once every two weeks, with increasing doses, for a period of six months to a year depending on the food and until the patient has built up their desired level of resistance.
“It’s amazing and it’s life-changing, and I say that as a mom whose kid is in that…It’s hard to come by,” Treyster shares. “Latitude’s goal is essentially to make this really important therapy, which is protective against severe reactions as kids get older, more available to people around the country.”
Oral immunotherapy is not a miracle cure, and it doesn’t entirely eliminate allergic reactions, Treyster explains. Rather, it brings patients to a state where they are “bite-proof,” or no longer prone to reactions from accidental ingestion — a boon for parents sending their children to navigate school lunches and birthday party spreads.
It also requires a significant time investment for both the patient and the doctor. The initial meeting takes about an hour, and any sessions thereafter can take an hour or more depending on reactions. Even so, for children with severe allergies, the time spent on allergy treatment can make a meaningful difference down the road.
“For younger kids, there’s a bit of a critical window, so if someone’s diagnosed with a food allergy and they’re very small, we do want to start this process sooner because it gives them the greatest chance for success and the greatest chance for really being able to get to those loftier goals that parents have,” Treyster shares.
The Rye Brook Location
Since the majority of Latitude’s patients are children, the clinic is equipped with amenities specifically designed for them. The Rye Brook office has a room outfitted with mats, toys, and a nearby closet filled with games. There’s even a drawing table for children to express their creativity.
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Latitude Food Allergy Care is currently located at 800 Westchester Avenue, Suite N-611 in Rye Brook. This summer, it will move down the road to 1025 Westchester Avenue in White Plains.
This location adds to the brand’s ever-growing list of clinics, which spans from Manhattan to California. Plans are already in the works for new locations, too; a Los Angeles clinic is set to open in late 2025, and a New Jersey location is in the works as well.
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