RAST test shows allergies to everything. All level 3-5. what to do?
JLK483
member
My son has shown allergy (cold like symptoms) since he was about 2 months old. It has been controlled by benadryl, zyrtec and singulair. Most of his symptoms went away with singulair. His only severe reaction has been to raw eggs. His eyes swell and gets welts anywhere he touched the outside of the egg. He can touch cooked eggs and I didn't see a reaction. I also haven't noticed anything with eating eggs in food. He does have eczema especially in the winter.
Anyway, I just went back to a different allergist and she decided to do the blood testing. I thought it would show an allergy to the eggs, but really wasn't expecting anything else. Well he tested positive to everything she tested for. Peanuts, milk, soy, wheat, strawberries, banana, tomato, dog, cat, dust, chicken, etc. The dog, chicken, egg and dust tested the highest at level 5s. So weird that he's allergic to chicken because he eats that daily. Everything is basically at level 3 or 4. I guess the egg was 95 ige, chicken was 35 while the peanuts and everything else ranged from 2-6. Dust was over 100 and dog was 86. She only told me to avoid the egg and chicken.
How can he be allergic to all of that when I really don't see that many symptoms, especially when all of those foods are his entire diet? THere's nothing on the list that he doesn't eat daily. Somebody else told me I should avoid anything higher than a level 3. However, the doctor said to only eliminate egg and chicken. I'm so confused and so sad. Is his only reaction the eczema? The runny nose is basically gone from the singulair. I would thing that since he eats all of that stuff and it showed that they are mainly level 4 and above, wouldn't you think he'd be much worse off? The doctor was surprised that I didn't have any idea or suspicion. Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I feel absolutely horrible and lost.
Re: RAST test shows allergies to everything. All level 3-5. what to do?
Firstly, I'm sooo sorry - this allergy thing can make you crazy. I agree with the other two posters. The RAST numbers are only one small piece of a much larger puzzle. My DD also tests positive for all sorts of foods she tolerates. She doesn't react to some foods she has a high RAST to, and is more sensitive to foods with low RASTs. I also have a friend whose daughter has a very low peanut RAST but is highly sensitive. I'm not sure of the science, but it drove me nuts for a long time doing eliminations and then challenges. I used to have so much anxiety about the RAST tests but have learned to watch HER and not the tests. I understand scratch tests can be just as mind-boggling. The only real test is how the child reacts.
In my (non-doctor) opinion, I'd keep your son on all the foods he tolerates. We've also had huge success with cooked versions of milk and egg - heat breaks down the protein and makes it more tolerable. That has changed her life (and mine as family cook) dramatically.
Good luck! I know it's just awful. Hugs!