Allergy testing for a 2 1/2 yo - have you done it?

Mimisinger

Tue, Dec 30 2008, 11:12 pm

Some background, Dh and his family has LOADS of allergies. Dh grew out of dairy and eggs, etc. but is still very allergic to nuts and seeds, etc. and carries an epipen. FIL is allergic to melons, BIL is allergic to some fruits and American chicken (don't ask). Anyway, ds has had some reactions. We think he's allergic to sesame like dh, but perhaps not nuts, B"H, as he had a bamba once accidentally (took one in the park) and an almond once (though I washed most of it out of his mouth). Anyway, I've been noticing some more reactions. Like dh as a child, he has some eczema, and lately has been showing some signs of an allergy (I think) like pimples on face and in tushie and on testicles. Anyway, I think it might be related to grape juice/wine, though I have no idea and want to get him tested so we can better watch out and be educated.

Dh remembers the few times that he got tested as being painful. Has anyone recently done allergy testing on a toddler? What did it entail?

MiracleMama

Tue, Dec 30 2008, 11:24 pm

Sadly, I am probably about to. My son has had eczema since very young and it keeps getting worse. He's 27 months now. We have no idea what is setting it off, but he keeps having these horrible flair ups and he is just ripping his skin open. We've been to 3 top dermatologists, homeopaths, etc. Nobody seems to be able to help. I have been dreading the allergy testing since I know there are A LOT of needles involved. I recently heard that therre is an allergy test they can do from ONE blood draw and I was very interested in that, but I talked to my ped today and he told me that most allergists don't even do it because it's not so reliable. So, anyhow, I just took my kid off wheat (gluten), eggs, dairy, and nuts and we'll see if anything changes, otherwise it's off to the allergist... and I will feel soooo awful about it, but if it needs to be done, it needs to be done. Sad

anon

Tue, Dec 30 2008, 11:26 pm

It involved taking blood...kind of like getting a shot, except they keep it in a for a little bit to fill up a couple of vials. It's not so horrible.

I remember getting tested as a child, and it involved a million needle pricks up my arm...pretty scary. DS had nothing like that. Just a blood test.

Mimisinger

Tue, Dec 30 2008, 11:27 pm

I'm so sorry you're going through this. B"H my ds doesn't sound as bad as yours, but the pimples in all the wrong places is not good and he has had really bad rashes in his tushie that have resulted in cuts and him crying because we had to change him for days on end. Right now I'm really concerned about the pimples on the face and in the entire diaper region.

I don't know the whole process, but I would think that one day of needles would be better (and more definitive) than taking ds off all of these different foods, no?

avigailmiriam

Tue, Dec 30 2008, 11:29 pm

Mimisinger wrote:

It depends. And elimination diet (where you cut out everything but a couple of basic food and add things in, one every 3 days, and watch for reactions) will pick up food intolerances as well as allergies.

I'd actually do both, since there's some foods you may not want to expose your DS to to see if he's allergic.

anon

Tue, Dec 30 2008, 11:31 pm

MiracleMama wrote:

That's so interesting. Because DS had that test and it wasn't reliable. My DS definitely has a problem with dairy, but the testing didn't pick it up. It just showed that DS has a predisposition to allergies in general...but it didn't show an allergy to anythign in particular.

MiracleMama

Tue, Dec 30 2008, 11:32 pm

Mimisinger wrote:

I don't know the whole process, but I would think that one day of needles would be better (and more definitive) than taking ds off all of these different foods, no?

If we were talking about an 8 year old I would agree. But my son is 2 and not the most cooperative. He's already terrified of anyone in a white coat and a bit of a chicken in general. I cannot imagine how they would even get him to stay still for this. He's going to have a major melt-down... and I think I will too.

anon

Tue, Dec 30 2008, 11:37 pm

Mimi, I also knew that DS had an allergy problem when he got HORRIBLE BRIGHT RED diaper rashes over his entire tush, for no apparent reason. He was in terrible pain, I was going nuts. Then he also got eczema. When I took him off dairy, it all went away.

The blood test did not show an allergy to the dairy, but since the symptoms when away when I took him off it dairy, the doctor said he may have an intolerance as opposed to a real allergy. But I wonder now if the test just wasn't reliable in the first place, and it may be a real allergy.

Mimisinger

Tue, Dec 30 2008, 11:41 pm

Oh, and I might try and eliminate grape juice/wine. He just loves getting some with kiddush and havdala like daddy. We gotta find something else to do...It doesn't happen from grapes or raisins, it could be the, um...my brain is shutting down, well you all know what I'm talking about.

Marion

Wed, Dec 31 2008, 2:07 am

There are NO "needles" involved in allergy testing. Usually it's a skin prick test; my 3 month old (when we first had him tested...just redid it at a year) and my now almost 3 year old (he was first tested at a year) both survived, no tears. On the really little ones they do it on their backs so they can't scratch, and they can't see what's happening.

DS#1 (the almost 3 year old) is going for the RAST (blood) test whenever I can get him to the lab, because he didn't react to a known allergen on the skin prick test. Skin prick is the better test, but the RAST will show us if we're imagining things or not. (We know we're not, but we're running the test anyway.)

ganizzy

Wed, Dec 31 2008, 2:37 am

theres a dr in crown heights that has little vials of all diff foods and things and he tests thekids by seeing their strength reaction to it. hell have the kid hold the vial and if he can push the shoulder down theyre allergic but if theres resistance then theyre not.

I know theres a few drs/chiropractors that do it in california as well.

my friend went to this dr in ny bec she had a bad allergy to s/t. if she would smell it from another room she would have a reaction, and after working with him she can be at the same table when its served and shes fine

Mommy3.5

Wed, Dec 31 2008, 9:58 pm

MiracleMama wrote:

Blood tests are not nearly as accurate as prick tests. My sons blood had almost no reaction to the allegen that he is most allergic too. And on some people, it gives flse negatives.

The prick test is not like a real needle, Its tiny and makes a tiny scratch and barely hurts. they also use a liquid allergen on some skin tests.

Also you can be allergic to Tree nuts and not peanuts and vice versa. Peanuts are legumes, and are not classified as nuts.

chaylizi

Wed, Dec 31 2008, 10:03 pm

my dd was skin tested at 18 months. they only test for the most common allergens under age 5.
so she was tested for: wheat, soy, eggs, dairy and I think 2 others. that's it. my daughter gets rashes from tomato sauce, pickles & several other things that I restrict, even though I can't prove anything.

HAPPYMOMMY

Wed, Dec 31 2008, 10:15 pm

From what I understood when my son was tested is that there are two types of tests, blood and skin. Skin tests will pick up what your skin is allergic too, like if you get an outside type of reaction. And blood test will show if there is an allergy that will affect you inside like digestively.

Also, the blood tests will only show true allergies and not intolerances. I was told by ds's allergist that the type of blood test done for ds is usually more 'machmir' and even if there is only a slight allergy it will be considered an allergy, but it will not pick up on intolerances.

That being said, ds was tested when he was about 7 months old. B"H no allergies were detected.

As Avigailmiriam said, the elimination diet will pick up on intolerances and allergies. However it is very difficult. I tried it and couldn't keep it up, I don't know how you would get it to work for a child.

allgood

Wed, Dec 31 2008, 10:33 pm

Just tested my 4 year old son and 2 year old daughter. My daughter whimpered when the shots were given, but was okay right after wards. On the other hand while the doc did the pricks my son was fine. A half a minute later he was going crazy and scratching away. I would still say do it. Some times you got to do what's best for the child even if it means they'll suffer for that little bit. In the long run you'll save him lots of suffering. Good Luck!

poemmom

Wed, Dec 31 2008, 11:12 pm

We had 6 m.o. baby tested, and she was given skin prick on back. She didn't mind it at all! She cried when the doc looked in her nose, mouth and ears, and when he used a stethoscope-- but when he touched the tester to her back she didn't seem to notice. (and it showed she is allergic to milk aand soy).

So there you go. This shows, once again, that we Imamothers have a range of experiences which may or may nor be relevent to you. So don't rely too much on us yentas for medical advice! Wink

I suggest you call a reputable allergist near you and find out exactly what testing they will do in your case. (a real MD please.)

anon

Wed, Dec 31 2008, 11:31 pm

Mimisinger wrote:

anon, did you get the testing done in the neighborhood? At his ped or a real allergist? Ds' speech therapist, just went to an allergist in Lake Success and says he's good with kids.

I used my childhood pediatrician who also happens to be an allergy specialist. I would definitely use a real allergist...pediatricians are not the jack of all trades. Well, at least they're not the experts of all trades.