In this post, I’ll share what I learned about foods (and medications) to avoid before food allergy testing.
The most common allergy tests we hear about include the (1) skin prick tests (2) blood tests (3) patch tests, and (4) oral food challenge tests. According to Mayo Clinic, there’s no perfect test to confirm or rule out food allergies.
Over the past decade, Lily, who’s 13, has done a series of food allergy testing. She’s completed skin prick tests (also called scratch tests) and blood tests. Since I’ve done some homework, I want to share what I’ve learned on food allergy testing with you in case you’re planning to do any of them soon.
Why is food allergy testing used?
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Food allergy testing is used to to find out if you have an allergy to a specific food or if you’ve outgrown a known food allergy. As a result, they can help you rule out whether you’ve got a true allergy or whether you’ve got a food sensitivity (or intolerance).
Some people confuse food allergy tests with food intolerance tests. There’s an important difference. Food allergy testing don’t test for food intolerance. Food intolerances may have some similar symptoms, but they’re often related to the digestive system and aren’t life-threatening like food allergies can be. Instead, food intolerance symptoms include nausea, abdominal cramping, bloating, and diarrhea.
Food allergy testing vs food intolerance testing
A food allergy test may tell you if you have a true milk allergy. However, food allergy testing won’t be able to tell you if you have lactose intolerance. Similarly, food allergy testing won’t tell you if you’ve got celiac disease (an auto-immune disorder). However, it may help you determine if you’ve got a wheat allergy.
If a skin or blood test indicates you have a potential wheat allergy, then your doctor may put you on an elimination diet. An elimination diet restricts common trigger foods. Consequently, these foods can be reintroduced to you in a future oral food challenge supervised by your physician.
Common food allergy tests:
- Skin Prick Test (SPT)
- Blood Tests (Specific IgE)
- Patch Test (Atopy Patch Test)
- Oral Food Challenge Test
This year, our allergist recommended that Lily do a Skin Prick Test and the Specific IgE Blood Test. On a visit last week to her dermatologist, her doctor recommended an Atopy Patch Test. The purpose was to help us figure out why she had a persistent rash around around her mouth for several weeks.
Because food allergies can be complex, you may need to do more than one test or procedure. Sometimes skin tests or blood tests appear inconclusive. So having both tests completed helps us fill in the missing blanks when we need more answers.
Although neither skin tests nor blood tests are perfect, we can all agree that the more info the better. This way, we can be better informed about foods we should be avoiding. Looking on the bright side, food allergy testing can help identify foods we may no longer have to avoiding
Nigel Gildon editor:Nigel Gildon is the editor of Chef Wayne’s Big Mamou: Chef Wayne’s Big Mamou. He has worked in the publishing industry for many years and has a passion for helping new authors get their work into the hands of readers. 63 Liberty Street * Springfield, MA 01003
