Mar 07 2010
Food Allergies In Children Are Serious Matter
America has gotten a bit obsessed with the idea of food allergies in children over the past few decades. The Centers for Disease Control announced that food allergies and incidents of food intolerance have spiked 18% in the last decade, yet many scientists believe their traditional methods for detecting a child's food allergy, like blood tests and prick skin tests, are unreliable. The best method for some patients is to spend the time, money and effort on gradually overcoming a food allergy through a process of gradual tolerance. In this article, you will learn more about and the various testing methods you may consider for your child's food allergy symptoms.
Currently, there are two preliminary tests for food allergies in kids. After going over the child's and family's medical history, a basic physical examination and asking questions about the child's diet, pediatricians generally recommend a blood test. Even though this is not 100% predictive, many allergies can be ruled out this way. During this test, a small amount of blood will be drawn and observed for the presence of IgE antibody, which will reveal an immune system response to a particular food protein. For people with extreme shellfish or peanut allergies, this test is preferred because the patient does not have to be exposed to the potential allergens. During the 30-minute prick skin test, a tiny amount of solution containing a suspected allergen is placed on the skin, which is then pricked to let the solution get below the surface. If there is an allergic reaction, such as itchiness or a bump, then it's likely there is a food allergy.
The prevailing theory is that food allergies in children can be overcome with a gradual Food Challenge test. There are three types of Food Challenges used today. During an Open Food Challenge, both the patient and the medical staff are aware that the patient is eating the suspected allergy-trigger. A child in an open egg allergy test may be given small (but increasing) doses of scrambled eggs every 15-30 minutes until a whole egg is ingested to test his threshold. In a Single-Blind Placebo-Controlled Food Challenge, the medical staff is aware what the patient is being fed, but the patient is not. This type of test is helpful when a patient expresses extreme anxiety about ingesting the food. A child may be given a small amount of egg concealed in pudding, for instance, until a whole egg can be ingested. A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Food Challenge occurs when neither child nor medical staff (aside from one doctor not directly involved) knows what the patient is being fed. This ensures that there are no emotional biases or stress-related reactions.
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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