If you test a new food on your baby's skin...

[Feierabend]

...what exactly is it you are looking for? DD2 came out in a massive red rash and hives after I dabbed a bit of raw egg on her back (on the advice of my GP) so I know she's allergic to egg. I have a funny feeling about fish, too, so dabbed a bit of cooked fish on her back as well and there was an ever so slight pin prick rash. Do I assume that's an allergy then? Sorry might sound like a daft question but I just don't want to feed her anything that she might react to.

I'm not sure.

DS2 and I would react to tomato direct on our skin (round our mouths particularly) but still eat them.

Do you have a history of allergies?

If nothing serious just try a small bit and see what happens?

Can you get a referral to see a specialist and have some skin prick tests. I think you will rive yourself mad doing it the way your GP suggests

There is a non invasive way to test food reactions. It's based on kinesiology if you want to find more info. I have seen a kinesiologist with my 9 month old and now do this test at home with the whole family for food sensitivities

How to do it: Put your baby on your lap. Hold the the food (can be wrapped) on the baby's tummy, navel level or below with one hand and extend your other hand at the shoulder. Test first with some food you know your baby is OK with. Get someone else to push down on your extended arm. You should be able to resist this pressure. If you are unable to resist the pressure (ie the other person can easily push your arm down), this means that your baby's body does not like it!

Good Luck!!

We're seeing a paed next week and I am hoping she'll refer us for testing, but DD2 might be too little, she's only 9mo. I didn't like what my GP suggested either tbh...

please don't rely on kinesiology, go for proper skin prick tests as a child with one allergy may well have others. I wouldn't risk feeding any food that causes a rash, even a slight rash, without trying it on the skin of the face first. If that shows a rash don't proceed. If it doesn't you could try rubbing the food on their lip, provided you have piriton handy, but a skin prick test at hospital would be better.

I'm not disagreeing with the skin prick test. The kinesiologist test is less invasive than the DIY skin test, no rash reaction / piriton required to see if a child is likely to have a reaction.

The kinesiologist test is also very unreliable and potentially harmful by giving misleading information. One of my (nut allergic) child's friends recently had a peanut allergy confirmed (by blood test) after her parents had been reassured by a quack. Luckily I was able to point out the possible risks if the diagnosis was incorrect and how easy it was to get a proper test.

I second tatt's advice, kinesiology is highly unscientific and has in no way been PROVEN to work.

Any rash when coming into contact with a food would suggest allergy to me, please go to your GP and ask to be referred to an allergy specialist!

It's so scary that anyone would take a test that Deirdre describe seriously

Kinesiologists should be banned

ditto what bruffin said.

9 months not too young for skin prick tests - my ds had them and blood tests for allergies (some tested positive) at 4 months - was fine - hardly even noticed.

Hear hear bruffin,

Like naturopath said, 9 months not too young. DS had his RAST blood and skin pricks done at 6 months. You're on the right track by doing the skin test yourself but you should have it confirmed by the hospital.

Ask GP for a referral.