Baby Skin Prick Allergy Test
What Is A Skin Prick Test?
A skin prick test is one of the simplest and most effective ways for doctors to find out if your baby is allergic to any food or inhalant allergen. It can be used to diagnose an existing condition or to help you prevent a food allergy from developing.
When it comes to your baby, a skin prick test can be particularly helpful because it identifies allergens very early, so you can avoid any triggers in the future. It’s understandable to be worried about your baby developing an allergy or being unable to identify what is causing a reaction. With a simple baby skin prick allergy test, you will get the answers and reassurance you need.
The procedure is absolutely safe, especially when it is administered by a highly qualified allergy team with a lot of experience and a high standard of care, which are two things that we pride ourselves on at Children’s Allergy Doctors. Here are some things that you need to know about getting a private skin prick allergy test for your baby.
What Allergic Reactions Can It Test For?
Skin prick tests can help to diagnose a wide range of different allergic reactions that are extremely common in people of all ages. These include:
They are often used to identify the cause behind what looks like an allergic reaction, such as hives, otherwise known as urticaria. Babies often need a skin allergy test because of a hard-to-diagnose issue or a recurring reaction with no discernible cause.
How Do Skin Prick Allergy Tests Work?
Skin prick allergy tests work very simply. The specialist will prepare a small amount of the substance that they are testing for then drop it onto your child’s forearm. The clinical nurse specialist will then scratch the skin, rather than piercing or puncturing it, so this test not painful. If your baby has an allergy or is starting to develop an allergy, there will be a raised patch of itchy red skin where the substance has been placed.
How Is A Skin Prick Test Done?
When you are taking your baby for a skin prick test, your specialist will explain in detail how the test will be administered as described above. Remember that the test is absolutely safe, and the amount of the substance that they suspect your baby is allergic to will be extremely small. You can prepare your baby for the test by creating a calm environment. Think about what you can bring with you to help to calm your baby, and talk to the doctor if you have any concerns at all. You will be with them every step of the way, so do not worry about leaving your baby with someone else.
Once the test is done, your doctor will talk to you about what the next steps may be. It may be that your baby will require a more detailed blood test, which can be done on the same day and will take a few days for the results to come back. If your baby is diagnosed with an allergy, we will discuss treatment plans with you and any allergy medication that they may require.
At Children’s Allergy Doctors, we place a huge amount of importance on high-quality patient care. We know how difficult it can be having a baby with allergies, and we are here to provide expert support and expertise to both our patients and their parents, from allergen avoidance, to allergy prevention, to allergy treatment and mental health tips.
Skin Prick Test Results
The results from your baby’s skin prick test will appear in about fifteen minutes. If there is no reaction at all, then the chances are good that your baby is not allergic to the substance that was being tested. A positive result will typically cause the skin to react by creating a raised patch of itchy red skin surrounding a white bump, known as a wheal.
If the wheal is very large, then this could mean that a true allergy has been detected, but the size of the wheal is not a guaranteed indicator of how severe your child’s allergy is.
How Accurate Are Skin Prick Allergy Tests?
Skin prick allergy tests are generally held up as the gold standard of allergy tests because they are so simple and effective. A false negative from a skin prick test is unlikely but possible. Occasionally, a skin prick test will result in a false positive result, but there are ways that your doctor can make sure that these are taken care of and provide you with the most accurate result. In the event of an equivocal test, Children’s Allergy Doctors can offer the opportunity to introduce the food in a safe medical setting.
Book A Skin Prick Test
It is always a good idea to get your baby tested for allergies. It can be stressful when you know that your child is suffering, but you are not able to tell what the cause is. With a skin prick test, you can get the answers you need.
Children’s Allergy Doctors’ expert team is there to help you and your child through every step of the way. We are here to answer any questions or concerns that you might have, and if the diagnosis shows that your baby does indeed have an allergy, we can work with you to create a treatment plan that works for you. We can help you to ensure that your child manages their condition and that you can provide them with an amazing quality of life.
A diagnosis is not just the answer to a question, it’s about peace of mind. Children’s Allergy Doctors specialise in allergy diagnosis and management, and we are very proud of the service and support that we provide to our patients and their parents. To find out more, visit our website, contact us with any questions, and book an appointment today.
What parents say:
“Wonderful experience ! Dr Broughs advice was a total game changer for my 5 month old baby….. and for me. Within days I finally had a happy baby!
She was kind and re-assuring in her approach and we would not hesitate to recommend her to anyone experiencing challenges in respect of food allergies.”