Most children suffer from allergy although patients don’t know about it. Allergy tests are completely safe for the children and test will make kids anxious. Early exposure to allergy can prevent the kids with allergic rhinitis from asthma. It also affects the regularity at school and children’s play quality.
Certain patients experience severe allergy test version since the childhood and test is not painful at all. Although allergy causes is unknown allergies are hereditary. As a result parents decide to test the kids as they suffer from bad allergies.
Often allergists recommend the parents to see telltale allergy signs. It includes itching of skin, eyes or nose, allergic shiners, sneezing, watery eyes, runny nose and nasal congestion. Most allergists have the training and experience to treat children effectively.
Allergy testing kinds
The allergists diagnose allergies in children by using the combination of medical history of patients, scratch or allergy skin test. It involves simple process of tiny scratch on back with the help of small instrument much similar to plastic toothpick. Every piece has allergen amounts and the clinic always tests for environmental allergens like moulds, pet dander, grass pollen, weed and tree.
For specific allergy reaction, test will take place only after making an appointment. Visit here to book your schedule. On conducting the test, 15-20 minutes will need for appearing the reaction. Normal reaction is mild and lead to itchy small bump similar to mosquito bite.
Allergists evaluate the reaction to determine whether additional tests are required or not. In some rare cases, intradermal testing will need on forearm for obtaining detailed results. During the procedure, only a small allergen amount will inject under skin of arm for seeing the reaction.
Blood test is another option. In this procedure, blood sample will collect to send to lab for determining the IgE level indicating the allergy. It is only applicable when the patient is presently taking antihistamines. However, in contrast to skin test it is less accurate to diagnose allergies.
On suspecting food allergy the allergist will ask the eating history of the child and the reactions took place. Accordingly, they administer blood test or skin testing for determining the allergies even if there is a high chance of false positives. In-office food challenge is another option for assessment of reaction too.
Ways for preparing the kids for allergy testing
Stop antihistamines
Patients must stop taking certain medications 3-5 days prior of the test. In case your kid is already taking antihistamines along other allergy medication or OTC cold medicines it is necessary to stop them. Otherwise it can interfere with the results.
Bring distraction
You can bring comfortable toy, electronic tablet or book for distracting your kid. Although skin test is not painful yet they can experience discomfort and itchiness due to reactions. Therefore toys can be their best time pass along distraction throughout the entire treatment.
Interact with the child regarding allergy test
Visiting the doctor and testing sound scary to any kid. You must interact with them and reassure that it is not painful at all. Even you can share some basic information about the allergy and what it can do for better feeling.
The results
The key advantage of skin testing is you can know if you ignore the appointment what consequences it can have on your kid. The allergists will sit with you to discuss the action plan and determine the right procedure to nullify its effect. There are several ways like combination of allergy shots, medication or avoidance for desensitising the allergens. On being diagnosed with the food allergy the allergists prescribe the epinephrine auto-injector for avoiding the allergen.
