Allergy testing in Evansville IN can verify that a person is allergic to a certain type of food. By the time testing is performed, the person is usually pretty certain about the allergy already. In many cases, it’s the parents who are certain about a baby or toddler’s allergy. Some early food allergies, such as a reaction to dairy products, are typically outgrown by the time the youngster is three or four years old.
Skin Prick Testing
Allergy testing in Evansville IN normally requires a skin prick test, and this can be done for food allergy verification as well as for reactions to substances like pollen, pet dander, and dust mite waste.
Elimination Diets
The skin prick tests do not identify food intolerance or sensitivity. Those problems usually are confirmed through elimination diets. The person eliminates any foods that may be causing unpleasant symptoms, then gradually adds each one back to the diet. The culprit then can be determined.
Supervised Food Challenge
In some cases, the doctor may recommend doing a supervised food challenge. The patient consumes the suspect food in gradually increasing amounts. The doctor monitors the situation for up to eight hours. If no symptoms occur, the food generally can be ruled out as an allergen for a particular person.
Symptoms
Some allergic reactions are relatively minor, such as patchy eczema. The eruption of hives tends to be more bothersome because the person often feels flu-like symptoms as well. The worst reaction is anaphylaxis, in which the body goes into shock and the ability to breathe is severely disrupted. An injection of epinephrine is the standard treatment for this allergic reaction.
Interpreting Test Results
An allergist with a clinic such as Accredited Asthma, Allergy & Food Intolerance Center can interpret results that may seem mystifying to the family. For instance, a child who is allergic to peanuts may show allergies to other legumes during skin testing even if eating beans has never caused any problems for the youngster. The same is true for a child who is allergic to almonds and has skin-test reactions to peaches. Visit us online to learn more.
