Allergies are caused by certain things which trigger the immune system, these things are known as triggers or allergens. Allergies need to be diagnosed properly in an allergy clinic to start the treatment procedures as soon as possible. Here are some allergy diagnostic tests and procedures for children.

Skin Test

A skin test, also known as an intradermal test, is a type of allergy test, in which a specific allergen is placed under the skin of your child. This test is usually done for insect allergies or any other triggers which might cause allergies. This test usually takes around 15 to 20 minutes and it is done in a doctor’s office. The doctor will take a specimen of allergen and put it under the skin, usually of the arm, through a syringe. The reaction is noted if it occurs and more blood tests are run to further solidify the diagnosis.

Prick Test

The prick test is also a very infamous test, which is done on children to check for allergies. It is similar to an intradermal test, but the difference here is that the specimen of allergen is put on the skin after pricking it with a syringe. Pricking the skin with a syringe will expose the skin to the allergen and the result will be more accurate. This is also a very easy and quick test to perform and the results come in the same day. The allergen will take some time and if your body is being triggered by the allergen, then your skin will show it via formation of red bumps and patches, some might be itchy or painful too.

Blood Test

Blood tests for allergies are a more diverse form of allergy testings because these tests can find out a lot of allergies. These tests usually involve the drawing out of blood from a vein and it is sent to labs for seeing the amount of antibodies inside the child’s immune system to fight off allergens. If certain antibodies are less in quantity, then it can be deduced that your child is susceptible to contract a certain type of allergy.

Patch Test

A patch test is great for children who are allergic to hives or get rashes easily. This test is done in a similar way as that of a prick test, but there is no needle involved, so it is much easier for the child and for you too. The allergen is applied onto patches and those patches are put onto the skin. Some time is given for the allergen to show any sort of reaction. If there are a lot of patches and red bumps forming, then it is quite possible that your child is allergic to this allergen.

Food Allergy Test

A lot of children are allergic to several foods. Food allergy tests can also be run to find out if your child is deathly allergic to certain foods or not. This test is pretty straightforward and it involves the child eating a certain food and also running some blood tests to further prove the allergy. Foods which don’t sit well with children are gluten, dairy, nuts, seeds, eggs, etc. So, you can get your kid tested if you feel like they don’t feel well after eating certain foods. Usually stomach aches, skin rashes and bad fevers are symptoms of food allergies.

Elimination Diet Test

Food elimination tests are done after you find out what foods make your child feel sick. Your allergist will cut off these foods from your child’s diet completely for about 2 to 3 weeks, with regular monitoring of your child’s overall health. Sometimes, these allergies can go away after some time, so if the allergist feels comfortable enough, the foods are reintroduced back into your child’s diet. If there are no severe reactions to the food after reintroduction, then those foods are safe to consume, otherwise you will have to cut them off completely.

There you have it! With these allergy diagnostic tests, your allergy physician will be able to narrow down the allergy quite quickly and you will be able to find a proper treatment plan for your child. And make sure you teach the kid to avoid the allergens in their daily routine. aacc