allergy testing - any advice?

[georgia's mama]

Hi there, it's been awhile since I've posted and I've only once posted here before...anyhoo...we have just had a referral put through to have our daughter tested for allergies, specifically for fish and nuts.  She has shown a sensitivity to fish several times and we thought we should find out for sure and nuts sometimes seems to go with the fish we were told.  We are going to be travelling to Winnipeg, Manitoba (the children's hospital)from Thunder Bay, Ontario and I was wondering if anyone knows how they do the testing on a 2 year old and how they fare with it? or any advice?

thanks so much
Michele

[ks6]

My best friend's daughter just went for testing, although I can't remember how they did it.  Scratch test?  Anyway, they did this on her back to test for the 8 major allergens.  She did really well, no big deal, but it was hard to keep her from leaning back for the required 20 minutes or so.

[MamaLlama]

My lo (17 months) is being tested on Thursday for allergies (seasonal and peanuts).  I'm not looking forward to it -- because of what he'll have to go through, but am anxious to see exactly all he's allergic to. He's my outdoor kid, so I can't deny him of that, but want to get this thing under control.  When we scheduled, just found that he probably had an allergic reaction to nuts, but since, spring allergies have hit (his daddy has horrible allergies - bro, too).  Good luck with your little one .

[georgia's mama]

thanks for the reply...let me know how it goes...where are you getting him tested (clinic, etc..)?

michele

[MamaLlama]

Nate is being tested at Akron Children's Hospital in Ohio.
We'll let you know.
They put him on an inhaler this week (abulteral) - sp.
What does your lo take? (Also Singular, Benadryl, Claratin! - Yikes!)
Spring is bad this year!
Mama

[georgia's mama]

We give Georgia Benedryl for the runny nose, watery eyes types of things but she hasn't had a severe reat\ction to the fish...right now it's only considered a "sensitivity," though we were given an epi-pen in case we are too far out of town to get to emerg quickly and she does have a major reaction.
We are going to the Children's Hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba they have an allergy clinic there with a specialist who is supposed to be excellent.  We have somone here in Thunder Bay but he isn't stationed here in town and only comes in once a month - had other concerns...the only thing is is that the specialist in Winnipeg is a 4-6 month wait.

good luck on thursday - how has he been reacting to nuts?

michele 

[Xavier's mom]

We just for a referral yesterday for DS to get tested for an allergy to peanuts.  He will be getting a full blood draw, which will be tested quantitatively for the severity of his allergy.  We'll be doing it here in town, no big children's hospital.  I'm nervous for him, too, but also anxious to know the severity of the allergy....He has only been exposed to them once that I know of.  When he ate peanut butter he immeditately started to wipe his tongue off, saying "big owie!  big owie!"  Then he got hives on his chin where he had slobbered while wiping off his tongue, and on his eyes from rubbing them with his peanut-slobbery hand.  Poor kid. 

[Xavier's mom]

we just saw the allergist today.  DS got a full blood draw, which they did very quickly with one tech homlind his arm supremely still, and the otehr doing the actual blood draw.  They took a full vial and will be doing a Rast Test to determine the severity of the allergy.  The allergist we saw today said she doesn't so scratch tests for peanuts because they don't give quantitative measures, and that they can actually test positive for years after the person in question has actually outgrown the allergy.  So you can start out allergic and have a positive scratch test, and then as it gets rechecked every year continue to test positive regardless of your actual status.  I don't know....that's just what she was saying.  So anyway, that's how they did the test and why.  Now we wait to get the results, and will go back in for another consultation in a couple weeks to see where we go from here based on the results of the lab work.