are there any reasons why the GP might refuse allergy testing for DD?

[pugsandseals]

You might have seen my recent threads re:DD with prawn reaction.
Saw the school nurse this morning who didn't even consider the possibility that she shouldn't be tested & seen by a consultant! So how come, the GP told us to give her piriton & take her straight to A&E if it happened again?
Would it be wise to see a different doctor in the hope of a more friendly reaction? School are obviously taking it very seriously after describing her swollen mouth etc. Why didn't the doctor?
I'm confused as to what to do next. I am very used to dealing with animal allergies & hayfever but find the whole idea of food causing swelling in the mouth much more frightening!

[rach345]

I think the dr finds that if the child has a reaction to one thing and it has cleared using antihistamines then why put them through a allergy test for one thing. but if you have issues with your dd reacting to alot of things and not being able to figure out what then yes she should have a test. just go back to the dr and request a test.

[itsmeolord]

I disagree with rach345.
I had a reaction to nuts over the summer having never had a problem with any foods previously.
GP has referred me to Addenbrookes for allergy testing because it is not a case of just finding out what you are allergic to, you need to know how severe that allergy is.
GP said that with a reaction like that it can be worse the next time, you need to know if you would need something more than just the anthihistimine, ie an epipen.

My mouth swelled and I had red skin all over my face, inside of my mouth was very itchy but all symptoms cleared with anthihistimine.

[pugsandseals]

Sounds very similar itsmeolord! Just don't want to go in sounding like a neurotic mother!

[itsmeolord]

You're not being neurotic, you're being sensible.

[foxinsocks]

they can't tell you how severe your allergy is from testing. They can get an idea in terms of a rating but cannot tell for sure how severe (in real life) the reaction might be.

how do you know it was the prawns she reacted to (out of interest)?

(I have a dd with a potential shellfish allergy that I have not got tested)

[foxinsocks]

I mean blood testing or skin pricks

obviously, if they do a food tolerance test, they'll see how you react

[itsmeolord]

I have been told I will do the blood test and skin prick test, then we move to me eating a very tiny amount in controlled environment, this is at Addenbrookes. I have been told to expect to be there for the day.

[pugsandseals]

FOXINSOCKS
DD had prawns as a starter to which she immediately reacted this time (had them before). She went on to eat cod and chips before we realised that 'my tongue hurts' actually mean't this is an allergic reaction which we then treated immediately!

[foxinsocks]

so she had a reaction to cod too?

because that isn't the same as shellfish (i.e. not the same category)

[pugsandseals]

I'm pretty sure the reaction was to the prawns- she had a lot of them! If it were the cod I'd be really worried as she's been eating white fish regularly for ever.

[foxinsocks]

I haven't bothered to ask for testing because shellfish isn't a big group of foods (in terms of things to avoid for a child dd's age).

At the moment, we don't buy shellfish so we have no problem avoiding it and they don't get it at school (only white fish or salmon).

I don't know how old your dd is. I would be more likely to push for testing if she was at the age where she had some independence (so was going out for meals or take aways without you being there).

I think it also depends how much you feel you need to know. Dd went through the whole spiel of allergy testing when she was a baby (she had egg, milk and soya allergy - they tested for those plus white fish, chicken, can't remember the others lol but not shellfish).

I always have Piriton on hand at home anyway (due to other allergies in the family) so I would suggest you do the same.

If it has frightened you and you want to know the answer, then you must push for the referral and the testing.

What I will do at some stage is rub a prawn/shellfish on the inside of dd's wrist and see if a rash comes up. For us, if that happens, I know dd is allergic to shellfish however I wouldn't recommend that course of action if you don't know your own dd's reactions/responses to allergens. We have had years of them so I know what signs to look out for in terms of deterioration etc.!

The GP response is quite typical. The treatment/testing of allergies moves on year by year and you'll find that even consultants give out different advice (you can see that by scanning the allergy boards!) so it's a real inexact science and a moving target in many ways. However, you have every right to push your GP, especially if you have not had experience of food allergies.

[JustChancesAndChoices]

After DS had 2 reactions to peanut butter (DH stupidly left his sandwich on sofa & left room X2) I pushed my Gp and finally got a referel to general peaditrician at local hospital, who did a blood test that was negative but said that that didnt mean that he didnt have an allergy [hmmm]

Think they wrote me off as a neurotic Mother, however now i am back at work & DS goes to my Mum, pre-school & MIL's I think the GP was a bit miffed with the amount of piriton & epipens I have asked for (to leave with each person) they have refered me again (finally 18 months after first incident!)

Its all a postcode lottery unfortuanatly!