Is allergy testing safe?

[AprilM]

I have an appointment for my 2 1/2 year old with an allergist. He keeps getting shiners around his eyes, and we are trying to figure out why.

We would like to get him tested for at least cat, ragweed, pollen, dairy, gluten, soy and corn.

Would this all fall under skin testing, and are these tests safe? Are you actually injecting toxins into the body?
thanks!

[Norasmomma]

My little guy just got tested for allergies, but he had a blood test. His allergist said he really rather do a blood test since my son was only 10 months.

He had a serious reaction to hummus and so was tested for sesame, chick peas, garlic, and peanuts(just in case).

He is in fact allergic to sesame and peanuts-I also suspect most nuts as he's had hives from getting pieces of food from my DD that contained nuts.

[AprilM]

Originally Posted by Norasmomma

My little guy just got tested for allergies, but he had a blood test. His allergist said he really rather do a blood test since my son was only 10 months.

He had a serious reaction to hummus and so was tested for sesame, chick peas, garlic, and peanuts(just in case).

He is in fact allergic to sesame and peanuts-I also suspect most nuts as he's had hives from getting pieces of food from my DD that contained nuts.

What was the reasoning behind the blood test vs skin test? And how did you get your LO to sit still enough for a blood test?! LOL

[loraxc]

It is extremely safe. Adverse reactions are very, very, very rare--I think I read less than 1/a million.

However, I will tell you that I recently had skin prick testing done as an adult, and it is somewhat unpleasant. Blood tests might be easier, but are less accurate.

[Norasmomma]

Originally Posted by AprilM

What was the reasoning behind the blood test vs skin test? And how did you get your LO to sit still enough for a blood test?! LOL

The allergist felt since it was a known substance(hummus) and he's a baby it would be easier to test on him with the blood test. For us they were accurate enough, my DS had a pretty severe reaction(I took him to the ER). His eye swelled shot, he had 100 small hives, and was very flushed. He was tested for the ingredients, sesame was my biggie because he another small reaction to a rice mix that was cross contaminated with sesame.

It was NOT easy, it took 3 adults to hold him, he is a really strong little guy. He screamed while they took his blood, but once he was done he went immediately back to smiling, he's a trooper.

[Starflower]

I have had skin tests done - several of them, on my arm. I was dreading it big time but they didn't hurt because the needles were tiny and all surrounded by a piece of plastic that put some pressure on the area during the test. I pretty much just noticed pressure. And then some major itching on the positives, but they put something on them at the end of the test and the reactions all went away.

I think a one-time allergy test is safer than having ongoing allergies.

Good luck with the tests.

[AprilM]

Originally Posted by loraxc

It is extremely safe. Adverse reactions are very, very, very rare--I think I read less than 1/a million.

However, I will tell you that I recently had skin prick testing done as an adult, and it is somewhat unpleasant. Blood tests might be easier, but are less accurate.

We don't vax DS, and I was talking to a doctor about allergy testing, and the doctor asked, how is injecting allergens any different than injecting vaccines? (Which got me thinking.....) Is it any different? And if so, how is it different?
What are in those skin tests besides the allergen, and how is the allergen derived?