Definition: An allergist is a doctor who specializes in the care of people who have allergies and allergic asthma. Allergists have special training in the field and are more likely to be up-to-date on current allergy and asthma treatment guidelines than a family doctor or pediatrician.
Anyone who has moderate to severe types of allergic asthma should be seen by an allergist at some point, if not regularly. Also, only allergists can perform allergy testing and administer immunotherapy, also known as allergy shots.
Source: AAFA. Glossary of Asthma Terms. <http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=8&sub=104&cont=474>
