Why Allergy Testing Is So Vital For Children

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Allergies seem to be getting more and more common among each new generation, and there is no clear reason as to why that is. Whatever the cause, it is important that you are vigilant about any potential allergy your child may have. At a very young age that can be easy to do, but as they start getting older and making their own choices on what they want to eat, you need to really monitor them for any signs of irritation. If you ever notice any sort of rash or your child complains of a dry throat after eating something, you should immediately take them to the doctor and to an allergy testing clinic.

How Is Allergy Testing Done Safely?

The idea of letting your child be touched by potential allergens that could cause a severe reaction does not sound ideal, but allergy testing is a very safe process. For one, it is done in an environment where even if your child does have a severe reaction there are medical personal and all the proper equipment there to help keep them stable. Secondly, only a small amount of each allergen is used during the testing and when there is a reaction, most of the time it is just a little red bump on the skin.

How Do You Actually Test For Allergies?

The most common form of allergy testing is what is known as skin prick testing. This is where you prick the skin with a couple of controls (usually saline and histamine) and then continue to prick the skin with a number of common allergens to see if any cause a reaction. This is a painless prick that you barely feel, and even young children can go through this with no reaction. If your child has had an allergic reaction to a particular allergen in the past, then that will be at the forefront of the testing, but up to 50 allergens can be tested. 

What Are The Next Steps?

If your child is allergic to something, you will be given a bunch of materials to help manage this and keep them safe. They will also probably have more regular check-ups with their doctor to ensure that the allergic reactions are being managed well. Overall, their life will not change that dramatically. However, you will need to be more cautious. You may be given a special medical device that can stop a severe allergic reaction if it happens, but even those are quite rare. 

For more information, contact an allergy testing clinic.


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