1.   Immunology recommends allergy shots as an effective way to control moderate to severe asthma.

2.   Although they are widely used, allergy shots for children with year-round allergic asthma appear no more effective than an inactive placebo, a report published Thursday says.

3.   Another alternative is allergy shots, in which sufferers receive a small injection of the allergen that bothers them.

4.   Beware of a doctor who recommends allergy shots lightly.

5.   Allergy shots are once again in favor as the best treatment for many types of severe allergies.

6.   Allergists and parents whose children receive allergy shots to prevent asthma attacks hotly disputed findings of a new study suggesting the injections may be worthless.

7.   But in severe cases, children may need allergy shots, a series of injections containing minute doses of the allergen.

8.   Clearly, there would be a huge market for allergy shots that could effectively desensitize people to their pets.

9.   Dr. Finegold suggested that perhaps patients given allergy shots in the study did not improve because they had allergies to substances they were not treated for.

10.   For animals that are severely allergic, or have allergies that return seasonally, allergy testing and allergy shots may be in order, says Rossman.