is allergy testing a 4 year old worth it?

[forevermore]

DD1 had moderate excema from 4 mths to 2 years then mild and now occasional break outs. some of these break outs can be quite wide spread and i am now thinking i need to investigate if there is anything in foods that is causing it.

what do you think? what is the best allergy testing to do and how do i go about it? do i need a referal? I am willing to pay also.

thanks for your advice

Allergy testing other than skin prick tests and blood tests are rarely helpful. Excema is more often caused by intolerance than true allergy so it unlikely allergy tests would help.

You can test for intolerances by excluding food from the diet and then reintroducing it. For eczema excluding all dairy produce or switiching from cows dairy to goats milk products may provide some help. If you are going to try dairy exclusion you need to do it properly - excluding all casein and whey and things like ice-cream and chocolate which some people do not seem to realise contain dairy produce! You need to be careful of bread, which may have skimmed milk powder, and other prepared foods. You might want to see a dietician for advice.

Before you see anyone keep a food diary documenting hat they have eaten before break outs.

Good advice from Tatt. DD was tested early for egg and dairy and wheat due to her failing to thrive and continuous vomiting. I took her off pasta and anything 100% wheat and voila, she stopped being sick and I now know when someone has fed her something to 'wheaty' as her eczema returns. However, her skin prick and bloods came back negative.

I know my child and I know what makes her poorly, it is a case of careful one thing at a time exclusion diet for sure if there is no allergic reaction that gives you cause for real concern.