IS there any clinical reason why a child can not have a particular number of skin prick tests?

[Chandra]

just wondering really...

Saw in a thread the other day that a child taken to alergy clinic was only offered a few skin prick tests even when the mother would have liked him to be tested for some other ones. THe excuse was that "it was not fair for the child".

I have been fobbed off with this excuse in the past, and now, that we have been offered a skin prick test I feel that if somebody tell me that they can not test him for all the foods that were confirmed as allergies in a private RAST test a year ago I will snap and tell them that is more unfair to have a child in a very restricted diet for months on end for needs he may not longer have than to make him upset for some skin pricks.

Any suggestions/articles about a maximum of skin prick tests that can be administered in a session? Not willing to wait for a second appointment when the first one took 18 months to materialise...

My ds (2 at the time) was limited to about 8 I think. I was also told not fair to do many more as it is extremely itchy and uncomfortable. We did those that we knew he was allergic to (5) and 3 others. I think also if the reaction is strong for a few of the allergens there is a risk of a more serious reaction. I know of a case where they had to stop halfway through the skin testing due to serious reaction.

My suggestion would be to do the more severe allergens first and then the ones you would most like to reintroduce if negative. Although my ds tested negative to cows milk in November and can handle it in yoghurt and cheeses etc but if I give him milk to drink his eczema flares up. So I still avoid milk as a drink anyway.

my dd had skin pricks today and had 8. mymama makes sense though as it must be quite itchy. tbh there wasn't much more space on her arm for more.

Thank you, I will choose well if he will be allowed only 8. Do they always do the skin prick tests on the arm here? I asked about this to an allergician abroad (thinking that the child would not stay still after first prick and he told me they do them at the back for young children. Have you had any of these?

The things I would like him to be tested on are peanuts (and other nuts as well as he reacts to almonds too but no clue about the others), milk, fish, soya, egg, tomatoes, wheat/glutten, lentils and beans, onions, potatoes, bananas, holy cow... half a list and still far from the end...

the 8 she had today were all the nuts. why do you want him to be tested for things you already know he reacts to? just interested.

Mine is allergic to milk (i've seen the reaction and it's clear - hives and vomit though getting better) and used to be eggs but ok now. I don't see the point imo of getting her tested for things I already know, just wanted to make sure ok to give her other stuff.

nver had any back ones these are our first tests and ok. though had cf test and bit scared since thy told me more common in irish descent. other one was ok for cf so went in v confident now tiny niggle of doubt, sure will be fine.

chandra I am in Australia and they do them on the arm. Perhaps if they do them on the back you may do more. My ds had first skin prick tests at 9 months and now has them annually. I could go every six months if I like but there is no point as the improvement won't be noticeable in that timeframe. He does not move during the testing but tries to scratch once the "reactions" occur (within minutes). Very important they don't get contact with the allergen on their arm though and transfer to mouth etc. You should be able to schedule another appointment soon after to test the ones you can't do at first appointment. From my understanding the long wait is because you are a new patient and then you are on a different schedule. Take along some cream to relieve the itching afterward. My allergist has a tube of steroid 0.1% cream to use on his arm. When is the appointment?? I hope it all goes very well for you Chandra. Try not to get your hopes up too much, as you already know, the results can be so disappointing. Good Luck.

Bob's are done on his back - so even though they itch he can't get to them. I think that there may be a theory that the last ones would just react for the sake because the child's skin has been irritated. His egg one goes so large that even doing it on his back they still run out of space.

Some foods don't skin prick well - fruit and veg especially because they are so variable from variety to variety and even how fresh or how long cooked for.

I have told dr. that Bob does not mind having a blood test - actually quite enjoys it - and so not to take unpleasantness into account. Dh hates blood tests, but no dr. has ever taken the fact he will throw up into account.

Sorry for the delay in answering, have been off line for a few days.

Manitz, DS has been in a very restricted diet for more than a year, I would like to know if he has outgrown some of the allergies so we can make his diet more varied. He also had a strange result at a RAST test that may be good to corroborate: apparently he has 300 times the lower limit to be considered allergic to egg, while his soya count was 100x. Strange thing is that, appart of a very slightly puffed face we have not seen anyhting that indicates that he may be at a risk of a more severe reaction from egg (???).

HAusfrau and Mymamma, the provision for allergy testing in Britain it's a disgrace if you live out of London. Our local hospital only has an allergy testing clinic ONE afternoon a month. Therefore, as long as babies keep coming with more urgent cases we will be getting pushed down the queu (which is fair but as a result...no chance of getting another test in the foreseable future, they "advanced" DS in the queu just because we came with the RAST results otherwise it would have taken more years unless... DS had to be rushed down to A&E with an anaphylactic reaction).

Threebob, I agree with that... I really don't understand the idea of not administering a test because it's unpleasant. I would rather have him scratching like crazy for a day or two that continue to see him becoming the smaller child of his age group.