What allergy testing method?

acppa

I was wondering if maybe we could describe the testing that you or your kids have had.

There seem to be a few mentioned in the intro post and I thought maybe we could elaborate.    

StarryNight39

We started out with the RAST test. It is a blood test that can detect allergies, but it is not as accurate as a skin test. Once we realized we were in face dealing with allergies we had a skin test done. Now we RAST each year on her well visit to see what her numbers are doing. 

terpsfan

My DD ate a pack of cashews.  About 5 hours later she was complaining of itching on her hands and feet and about an hour after that her entire face/lips/mouth swelled up about 5 times their normal size.  Rushed to ER, shot of epi and drip of benedryl...we knew it was the cashews as that was the last thing she had eaten.

After that we had the blood and skin prick tests.  They proved reactions to tree nuts and peanuts and other seasonal type allergies but essentially her allergist called her a ticking time bomb meaning a "very allergic" person.  We carry jr epi pen, benedryl and take a daily zyrtec to keep everything under control.  So far so good!

jend062505

We did Skin and Blood.

acppa

DS has only had a skin test on his back.  The allergist took small needles and measured the hive looking reactions that he had.  

They said they measure on a 1 least allergic, to 4, most allergic, scale.  

  

CareBear0607

DD has the blood test done by the pedi.  When it came back positive then we went to the allergist who did the skin prick test. 

She will went for another blood test this winter and her bumbers went down (YAY!)  She will go for another blood test this summer.  If her numbers are low enough, then the allergist will do a food challenge...basically give her tiny bits of peanut butter and see what happens.  Needless to say, this test scares the cr@p out of me!

MarMat

prick test.

We were desperate, I've seen an allergist recommended by my pedi who didn't make test before 3yo, because, "The test are not accurate at this age".

So I searched for another pediatric allergist, that based on DD's history said she saw a lot of signs of allergy. She did prick test and came out with milk and egg in terms on food and allergic to acarous (sp?), grass, birds, and horses.

I'm so glad we did the test, by know I will be having my kid go in the grass and to the zoo.

DandelionMom

Celiac disease testing is a little different there's usually a blood panel and an endoscopy.   

webMistress0609

Prick & atopic patch testing. ATP is not hugely common, but Ari's allergist likes it for EE kids or kids with a ton of FAs. He always cautions to verify results with food challenges though, unless its a really strong positive. Like his potato patch was only slightly positive. His dairy patch had a huge bleeding welt that took 3 weeks to totally heal. Yeah, definitely an issue.

MaxandRuby

I had the skin prick test many many many years ago (10yr ago maybe???). DS2 has had RAST testing for nuts, eggs, wheat and had a skin prick test for cats, peanuts, egg white, egg yolk, milk stuff, and some others (14 things total).

Taytee

Emily reacted to being fed dairy, egg and peanut. Her RAST confirmed these results. I had to talk my Pedi into doing RAST before skin. I fully accept and understand the limitations of RAST testing at her age.

Y4M

I've had two skin prick panels--one for foods and one for environmental.  Both on my back.

And then I also had a special test with my dog's fur and saliva in my arm.

lmdbww

Our family doc did blood testing on DD first (after a tree nut reaction). When we saw the results she referred us to a pedi allergist where she had skin testing done.