Diagnosis of Food Allergy
Author: mzPOTTER
Often, the diagnosis of food allergy can be made by history: if a child has hives or a swollen face after eating something with (peanuts), for example, is likely to be allergic to cacahguates (peanuts). But because these symptoms can be so varied, sometimes the diagnosis is more difficult to do. Although a detailed diary of food intake and symptoms, and other information about food allergies in the family can be helpful, sometimes doctors need to test for the diagnosis. Two tests are commonly used:
Skin tests prick test for allergy detection is the most common because it is inexpensive, easy to do and generally reliable. It is made with a puncture in the skin with a solution of the suspected food. A positive test will give a similar reaction to a small bump. The disadvantage of this test is that it is uncomfortable and for children with eczema or other skin conditions the results can be difficult to interpret. In children with severe allergies, even a small amount of feed injected into the skin may cause significant reactions.
Another problem with skin tests is that they are really reliable, the patient can not take any antihistamine for about two weeks before the test. For children who have hay fever or other allergies strong, it may be impossible to go two weeks without antihistamines.
RAST blood tests Blood tests, radioallergosorbent (RAST) measures the amount of specific IgE in the blood food. The body produces antibodies, immunoglobulin E, in response to allergens. Once these antibodies of immunoglobulin E have appeared constantly circulating in the blood. Therefore, this blood test can be performed at any time. The greater the amount of immunoglobulin E, the greater the likelihood that the person has an allergy to that particular food.
RAST tests have the advantage of being less cumbersome and can be made while taking antihistamines. The disadvantage of these tests (beyond cost) is that they can have both false positive and negative.
Elimination and provocation Another way to diagnose food allergies is with a test called provocation test double blind placebo controlled (DBPC). In this test, a person given capsules containing the suspected food and other sugar-containing and observe the reaction. Since there is a risk of a serious reaction, potentially fatal, this test is done, usually in a clinic or hospital.
A common way to do it is for you to keep track of what you eat and your reactions, which usually occurs two hours after ingestion. First, the suspected foods are eliminated from the diet for one to two weeks. Then, re-incorporated into the diet slowly under medical supervision. It is helpful to keep a diary of foods and quantities consumed. This criterion only be adopted if the reaction was mild and causes no breathing problems.
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