Allergy/intolerance testing - how to start?

[Buckets]

What kind of tests are worthwhile and who needs to do them to be valid? Does it have to involve skin patches, blood tests or poo samples?

I want to get DS(3, AS) tested before experimenting with diet changes but his paed is not interested as his weight is fine. Trying to work out if she is trying to fob me off or not - have been given a stool sample pot and form marked to look for 'reducing substances.' Can anyone advise what that means?

I know the homeopathic big toe device at Holland & Barrett has been discredited by the guy who introduced it in the UK! And I'm also sceptical of private nutritionists given that my neighbour thinks she is one having done a correspondence course last summer - how do you find someone with actual medical background and autism experience?

TIA.

[misscutandstick]

i have heard that there is a 'skin prick test' which is alledgedly painless and doesnt take long - 15mins in the waiting room waiting for the 'welts' or 'wheals' to show which are offending foods, not sure who would do it, dietician maybe?

another test is this sunderland test

it explains it here

DS5 had a blood test done checking his intolerance to both milk and wheat... however the Paediatrician swore blind that DS5 does NOT have a problem with lactose (milk sugar).. AHHH BUT he does very obviously have a problem with casein (milk protein) because he is now CF and much happier as a result! so dont always beleive the blood results... you know your child. Ds5's dietician suggested the change, does your DC have a dietician? if not it might be a good idea. HTH XXX

[Graciefer]

Just to concur with misscutandstick, my DS1 had lots of allergy and intolerance tests (blood samples) done recently which all came up as negative.

However he is clearly casein intolerant and this affects him both physically in terms of his stools and behaviour.

So much so, that even his bus escorts and teachers can tell if he has managed to get his hands on some casein containing food, through the dramatic change in his behaviour and violent outbursts.

His dietician also agreed with the change, although to be honest thats about all she did and quite frankly she was about as useless as a chocolate (dairy free of course ) teapot.

[Turniphead1]

I would steer totally clear of health food shop and non-professionals who offer allergy testing. These have been proven to be a load of cobblers. On all other matters I am very open to alternative therapies etc.

I would see a medical Consultant Allergy and Immunologist and he would carry out skin prick testing and blood tests, for which you would need a referral.

But I am interested to know, what makes you think your child is allergic to something? If you have a "proper" allergy you would know about it. Intolerance, a different matter. Agree that looking at weight gain alone is daft. My DD gained weight perectly but is allergic to cow's milk, egg and kiwi. But she had very clear symptoms, after a certain point.

[Buckets]

DS has had chronic diarrhoea all his life (mild reflux for 1st 6m too) and doesn't notice when he does poos in his nappy (2-3 times a day). Also has very mild eczema.
He has a year before he starts school and if there's a chance that there's a simple explanation like intolerance or allergy I'd like to spend that time eliminating it and toilet training. It might just be toddler diarrhoea and he might grow out of it but I'd rather not wait around to find he doesn't iyswim. Also seems a waste of time blindly trying different elimination diets if there was something that might show up on a test.
Tried to get him referred at appt with Paed on Friday but all I got was this poo pot and told to give him less fruit.

[misscutandstick]

i really would try cutting out milk and milk products - use soya milk for cereal and drinking, make sure its with added calcium and minerals/vitamins. I was advised to avoid the 'posh' milk substitutes as they have less calories and protein in them, which make them more unsuitable.

They put milk powder in the strangest of things: sausages, fishfingers, crisps, gravy, etc etc etc.

Good rule of thumb is to avoid anything with a flavoured coating on because they use milk powder as a flavour carrier - products like crisps, meatsauces, potato wedges, anything with flavour added on the outside.
Cereals also have hidden milk: some (but not all) chocolate cereals (check the label), special K, country store, alpen, etc.
They also use it as a 'filler', so some meat products like sausages, meatballs, burgers, instant mash potato. etc.
Products in a batter or bread: fish, nuggets, etc
Not forgetting of course products which are made with milk - yoghurts, cheese (cream & cottage), fromage frais, custard, ice cream, mousse, butter, creamed rice, angel delight (contains powdered milk), instant whip, tinned macaroni cheese, mayonnaise, salad cream, horlicks, ovaltine, creamed soups, and tinned soups, cakes and biscuits etc
Most dried pasta is OK, but not the fresh.
Most bread is OK, just usually the 'posh' and the store baked bread (and of course milk breads), check labels - if no label DONT BUY.
Margerines still have buttermilk in them usually, so buy one that specifically states 'dairy free', vitalite do one, as does 'pure' TBH i cant tell the taste difference so its easy enough for everyone to use it.
Milk is labelled as an allergen on all english labels (not european unfortunately), so you will have to label check EVERYTHING.

So what are you looking for on labels?:
AVOID: butter, buttermilk, butterfat, butter oil, casein, caseinates, hydrolysed casein, cheese, cream, curd, lactoglobulin, lactose, margerine, milk, milk powder, milk solids (so sorry no choccy !), non-formula solids, skimmed milk, skimmed milk powder, whey, whey syrup, whey syrup sweetener, yoghurt.

ALL TRACES OF MILK HAVE TO BE ELIMANATED, it wont work if you just cut it down.

It sounds awful, but its really not, it just takes remembering, and altering slightly. There are biscuits which are milk free (and dont cost a fortune), and there are alternatives to milk products: alpro milk and yoghurts, provamel creams and puddings, and soya ice-creams like swiss/swedish glace. Jams, jellies, honey, boiled sweets, ice lollies, pastilles, gums are also fine, fresh meat and fish too. Tinned fish in oil or brine (no sauce!) All fruit and veg (again no sauce). Plain crisps and plain pringles, are fine too.

Try also to avoid MSG, monosodium glutamate, its a flavour enhancer - and its in MOST processed savoury food, basically it makes your tastebuds go in to overdrive and think they can taste foods strongly, so the manufacturers dont have to waste time and money putting actual taste into food

sorry to waffle, but hope that helps. I suspect it might be a milk problem because of the excema (SP??) and the stools problem. they are classic symptoms. HTH XXX

[Buckets]

Thanks, great tips there, have also thought I would try dairy-free first as a few relatives have benefited at various times. Will probably start in the autumn once new baby is settled in. In the meantime, priority is trying to get him to drink water as pre-school offers choice of milk or water and he would go berzerk at being given water right now.