Testing Your Child for Allergies

You aren’t the only one who may deal with allergy symptoms. Even your kids can! Childhood allergies are on the rise, according to the World Allergy Organization. From food allergies to hay fever, childhood allergies can become a problem. Wondering whether your children should undergo allergy testing?


When to Test
Sometimes allergies are minor and not something you’ll need to worry about; however, sometimes childhood allergies can become serious and potentially dangerous. This is more common in food allergies, which is also one of the most common causes of anaphylaxis, a severe and dangerous allergic reaction that requires urgent medical attention.


While the occasional sneezing or watery eyes may not be enough to warrant getting your children tested for allergies, you may want to consider it if:

  • They are dealing with severe and persistent allergy symptoms
  • They develop hives or a severe reaction after eating certain foods
  • Their sleep is affected by their allergies
  • They have trouble concentrating in school or have had to miss days of school because of their allergy symptoms
  • The sooner you can find out what’s causing your child’s symptoms the sooner you can help them better manage their symptoms.


What to Expect

A skin prick test is the most common method to test children for allergies. Before the test is performed your allergist will ask you questions about your child’s symptoms. From there, a trace amount of the allergen is placed directly under the skin to see how the skin reacts. Usually, symptoms such as itching, swelling, and redness appear within the first 15-20 minutes.


The type of allergies and the severity of your child’s allergies will also dictate which type of allergy tests to perform. Other types of allergy tests include:

  • Skin patch test
  • Simple blood test
  • Intradermal skin test
  • Food challenge test

Your child’s symptoms combined with a positive allergy test will confirm what they are allergic to. From there, our allergists can work with you to create an effective treatment plan to help control your child’s allergy symptoms through lifestyle changes and medication.


Whether you want to schedule allergy testing for your children or you want to discuss your child’s allergy symptoms, schedule a consultation with your asthma and allergist specialist to find out the next steps to help your child better manage their symptoms.

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Midlothian Office

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Tuesday:

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Wednesday:

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Thursday:

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Sunday:

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West End Richmond Office

Monday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

Closed

Wednesday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

Closed

Friday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed