RAST & skin tests annually or not?

[SuburbanMomma]

I've posted before asking for advice on what might be usual standard of care in the UK with regard to children with multiple food allergies. I'm abroad and my husband's employer (or should I say the healthcare consultants who advise them) have been a bit funny about what they will pay for here (we are in a country with no NHS but have access to excellent specialists) as they are keen we don't get above and beyond what we'd get at home. Anyway I know there is a postcode lottery so I'm just looking for a range of experiences (particularly from those in London) of what your DCs annual/bi annual/routine review with a specialist consisted of.

We've been told an annual review is fine but that it should only consist of skin prick tests and if the doctor deems RAST tests to be appropriate then we'll have to get permission from the healthcare consultants in the UK who advise my Hs employer. Apparently this is standard? This seems crazy to me as it'll then involve multiple (expensive) appointments. I already know that my DS's doctor likes to get bloods taken a few weeks before the appointment (taken by a nurse at his clinic) and we then go back for skin tests and he has all the results there to review and discuss with us.

FWIW my DS is just over 2 and is allergic to milk, egg, peanut & mustard. We also suspect sesame but that hasn't been tested for yet. He's had 2 RAST tests for milk (1 in the UK at 4 months and then one here when he was 16/17 months). The other 3 allergies were diagnosed here so we only have one set of skin and RAST tests to go on with those. We carry Epi-pens though have never had to use them.

Yes, I think it is a bit of a postcode lottery. We were told by our consultant that we would get annual RASTs, alongside an appointment with the consultant. They don't offer skin prick tests in my area.

His first RAST was when he was 6 months old and we've had one since then. He's 4 and a half now.

We are in the south east and have a yearly appointment at the allergy clinic, however access to the consultant if a new allergy/suspected allergy occurred or something changed. At the first appointment when diagnosed it was skin prick tests for milk, soya and dust mites which he was given an epi-pen for, the review is coming up in a few weeks and will be skin prick tests again, unless another reason to do the bloods....

Hope that helps

DS used to see consultant every 6 mths initially, now down to every 12 mths but skin prick and RAST tests seem to be done as and when the consultant feels like rather than on a regular schedule.

We've just been told by DS's paed to bugger off and come back in 4 years time.

Was told there was no point in having any more skin prick tests or RAST tests, but it's OK, right, as you've got the epipens. Bye.

Up to that point we had been having an annual review and skin prick test and sometimes RAST test.

I suggested a referral to an Allergy Specialist but told no.

Bastards.