RAST questions expert allergy moms!

[Boobs]

I am completely blown away by the results of my son's RAST test.

He was tested for soy, corn, peanuts, dairy, rice, eggs, wheat, and I'm blanking on the last thing.
Anyway, everything came back negative except for wheat.
Wheat is the one thing I didn't suspect.
I know for a fact he's allergic to soy. Every single time I ate tofu or drank soymilk when I was breastfeeding he got eczema and/or green poop. I even went off my veg*n diet because I couldn't eat soy anymore. How could that have not shown up?
Then peanuts. My husband and I are sure he's allergic. He had an anaphylactic reaction when he was 13 months old. He reacted much more mildly when I had something a few months later with a trace amount of peanuts. We know this in our hearts. Of course we don't want him to be allergic to peanuts, but we are sure. How could it be negative?

I won't get into all the contradictions this allergist gave me, but I really feel like he doesn't know his stuff. We are definitely getting a second opinion, but I'm wondering if there's even any point in getting another RAST test done.
Has anybody else had highly questionable results come back??? Has anybody had results they felt were very accurate?

[angelamclamb]

We had the RAST done for our 2 1/2yr old which did show he was allergic to soy, goats milk, rice & lentils. We couldn't believe he had no reaction to dairy though or enviromental allergies. He had a severe reaction to Mondo juice, but we are not sure exactly caused it, but it was full blown, wheezing, vomiting, diahrrea and hives within 15mins and all he did was touch it as it was my 5yr olds.

I was told that the RAST test is less invasive but not as accurate, like 70-80% accurate as compared to the needle prick ones.

[cat19]

If your son has had an ana reaction (or any clear reaction) to a food, RAST is useful to try to track whether the numbers are going down or up.

But a negative RAST does not trump an actual reaction. Tests can be wrong (and OFTEN are in small children); reactions can't. A good allergist knows this. I agree: get a new allergist, and make sure you have epi-pen jrs available with your child at all times, as well as Benadryl.

I highly recommend the forums at http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org for help with any of this.

[cat19]

Angela--I hope you too have epi for your child--that reaction sounds potentially very serious.

[elmh23]

my daughter is allergic to soy and peanuts. soy came out on a skin test, while she tested negative to peanuts. then on the rast test, she was positive for peanuts and negative to soy. REACTION TRUMPS TESTING! dd geys hives from peanuts and severe eczema from soy.

none of the tests are 100% esp in young children.

[WC_hapamama]

RAST testing isn't that accurate for kids under age 2. You may want to follow up with skin prick tests... just make sure they dilute the peanut one.

[Boobs]

So do you think I should take the wheat result seriously? He's never had any allergic symptoms to wheat, as far as I can tell.
I just don't know where to go from here. :

[angelamclamb]

Originally Posted by cat19

Angela--I hope you too have epi for your child--that reaction sounds potentially very serious.

OH YES! We have one at his crib and one in his diaper bag at all times now!!!