Preliminary Tests For Food Allergies In Children

How likely is it to overcome food allergies in children? A good question, as at least 50% of children who are allergic to cow's milk, egg, soy and wheat will outgrow their allergy by age 6.

However, kids with a walnut, cashew, almond, pistachio or peanut allergy have a 20% chance of recovery. As a parent, you're likely wondering what you can do to help your child.

Food Challenge tests are an accurate and widely accepted way of testing for food allergies in children. The only way to truly know if a child is allergic to a particular food is to have him or her ingest it.

Since there are dangers involved with this method, children should only be tested in a clinical setting, where emergency personnel are at hand. Most allergic reactions involve small skin rashes or mild tingling in the mouth, which are easily treated.

In rare cases, a child may stop breathing and encounter anaphylaxis. To perform this test, an allergy specialist gives the patient very, very small doses of the suspected allergen until gradual tolerance develops.

Despite the success of the Food Challenge when it comes to food allergies in children, many anxious parents do not want to go through the process. It seems counterintuitive to ask children to eat something that is known to be harmful to them.

However, there are many reasons to go through with the test as well. First, blood test results and skin test results are not very accurate. Another reason to perform a Food Challenge is to see if the allergy has been outgrown.

Lastly, a Food Challenge can pinpoint the precise food causing the kid food allergy. Elimination diets can take much longer to yield results. Documenting the degree of sensitivity to the food is the most precise way to uncover the child's tolerance level.

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