What testing is there for?children and food allergies?

Plenty: As patient with suspected food allergy should undergo a thorough history and physical exam to confrim or refute the diagnosis of food allergy. If fa is suspected then skin testing and /or blood testing for targeted suspected foods can be done.

Blood or skin tests: Tests for food allergies can be done with by skin testing or through blood tests for ige antibodies to the food. Not all reactions to food are due to ige antibodies, so children may have reactions to food but negative skin or blood tests. These tests also have false positive and negative results, so the results have to be interpreted in concert with the history of reactions. See an allergist.

Skin & blood tests: Prick testing with allergenic extracts or fresh foods can help confirm allergy, as can blood tests for specific ige antibodies (rast-type tests). However, both types of testing can produce false positive results, and confirmation with food challenges may be needed.