Hi ladies

Zach is 2 1/2 and had 2 diff skin tests...when he was 10mnths he tested slightly + to dairy/soy but was re-tested at 2yrs old and was NEG to everything
When we gave him something with soy/dairy deriv he would be OK for 1-2 days then look pale, dark circles, lethargic
Recently we tried again and he had all the same symptoms but also had blood in his stool (but we weren't sure if this was due to straining etc)
So, we have decided to take him for the blood test and I am a nervous wreck!
My question is, do we need to keep him on the dairy/soy deriv in order to get a TRUE reading
A friend had her son tested and he came back + for dairy etc...he was then put on a restricted diet and tested neg
Long story short he still reacted to dairy etc and it seems he got the neg reading because he was on the restricted diet

I think it will be worth it if we finally get some answers, I am just afraid of a false neg etc

Kim
Zachary and Ava's mom

I read somewhere that the skin test works best if the child has been exposed lately, which is the test they generally run when you first suspect an allergy so usually before you've restricted the diet any. That may be why you've seen + and -. The blood test though is different and it doesn't matter what diet they are on. Good luck!

Rest assured that the blood test is indeed more accurate in young children then, the skin test. There is however a new testing procedure called patch testing. You can ask you allergist about it to see if they have it, most Allergy Docs have it available now. It is a good secondary test if the blood tests come back negative. Also, Noah always has had some sort of circles around his eyes, were have learned that red circles indicate allergies & dark circles usually mean something else.

Jennifer is right. Evan's ped. always said that you can't test for (food) allergies unless the child has already ingested the food in question.

don't change the diet until the testing is done. Some tests are looking for damage, and if you correct the diet, you correct the damage they're looking for! (I'm thinking of celiac testing here, specifically, as it runs in my family).

Thanks ladies
Ugh
When I took Zach for the skin testing for the 2nd time he had been dairy/soy free for MONTHS..maybe that's why the neg?
I don't understand why the ped allergist didn't say something!!
I should have added that Zach has very bad dark circles under his eyes but the rims are very red
We also suspect seasonal allergies, and he is currently on clarinex

Geez, we'll get to the bottom of this by the time he is 16 :)

Kim
Zachary and ava's mom

We had good results w/ the patch testing. It tests generally for more delayed reactions.

Thanks ladies
Can u tell me a little more about the patch test
I am now wondering if Zach has another sinus infection...so maybe we need to take a trip to the allergist
Zach had the skin test 2x before, where they prick you with the needle then wait for a reaction?

Thanks, Kim
Zachary and ava's mom

All they do for patch testing is apply the allergen to the skin for 48 hours on little disks and tape it to the child's back. It's then removed and they look for reactions then and for 24 hours after that. That's the only test Evan got + on.

Thanks

We see an allergist tomorrow!

Kim

Noah tested negative to all allergies during his endoscopy, but he had been off milk/soy for a month, and he OBVIOUSLY has issues with them. He gets a rash and is a mess for days after he eats either of them.

Please update us on the allergist appoitment. Noah's GI is talking about sending him to one, so I'd love details.

Hi

Will do!
We also have a blood test scheduled for Saturday
I still feel uneasy taking him, or putting him through testing
On T-day my mom slipped him some whipped cream and he instantly got a rash on his face
Later that night, when we came home he yelled to take his diaper off and has little red welts
Regardless of the results of these darn tests...he reacts..I wonder if that is enough

Kim