Ummm...just reading your post made me think of my little 10 months old.
She has been eating since 6 months, never really did the test thing.
I have noticed her getting dry patches but being totally honest never put it down to allergy.
My other daughter had dry pathces throughout this age and I out it down to hormonal changes.
Again I feel it is the same with this my 10mth old. I dont deny her anything and feel that if she is getting dry pathces from any foods then it is a good thing. To me it means her body is reacting to the foods and absorbing them and the more she eats them the lesser the dry patches get.
My other daughter who is now 10 can eat anything from raw fish to blood red meat, nuts basically everything and has shown no sign of reaction. She has no dry patches, never sees the doctor for any problems and is healthy in every way possible.
My belief and it is just my opinion that feeding your children everything gives their bodies a chance to react and then get used to.
To me depriving food because a book says you should before they get to a certain age cant be beneficial (of course unless there is a specific genetic/diagnosed allergy).
IMO I feel that alot of parents just automatically give soya milk and all those sort of products because a book says so or because friends are doing it or because they have been told it is the best for the baby.
IMO all the psople I knwo that only feed their babies specific foods always have some problem that arises allergy wise later on, after say about 12 months. But hey this is what mumsnet is about given each opinion.
Please dont take my post badly I am just saying how I feel, I am not judging genuine cases etc.