Is it an IQ tax to test your child for allergens?

Pediatrician Bao Xiulan

2024-05-16 20:00Published in the Chief Physician of Pediatrics, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Shaanxi

Recently, many mothers have been completely broken by their baby's allergies, either sneezing all day long, or having rashes all over their bodies.

Therefore, there is a lot of consultation in the background about whether to do allergen testing for the baby. Today, let's talk about whether to test your child for allergens.

1. What is allergen testing?

Allergies are the result of the body's immune response to a substance in the environment.

Common allergic diseases involve the respiratory system, skin, digestive system and even the whole body, and allergic symptoms include allergic rhinitis, urticaria, oral allergic syndrome, and even anaphylactic shock. Common allergic diseases in children also include bronchial asthma, allergic conjunctivitis, etc.

Because allergic reactions are immediate and delayed, and because there are many triggers, it's important to determine which substances your child is allergic to to better improve quality of life and prevent serious health problems.

At present, there are four main methods for allergen testing:

1. Skin prick test

One of the commonly used allergy testing methods is to apply a small amount of potential allergen to the skin to see if there is an allergic reaction such as erythema and edema. Indications include various types of urticaria, atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis and asthma, etc., and can be used for children over 4 years old.

2. Patch test

The indication is contact allergy symptoms, such as contact dermatitis, eczema, etc., and is suitable for people of all ages. A small, special aluminum container containing high-purity contact allergens is usually placed on the back for 48 hours to observe skin reactions.

3. Blood tests

Indications include allergic rhinitis, asthma, acute urticaria, etc., and there is no age limit. Also known as an IgE antibody test, a blood sample is analyzed to determine whether there are antibodies to a specific allergen in the body.

4. Elimination and challenge testing

Doctors may recommend observing the reaction by excluding specific foods or exposures for a period of time and then reintroducing them one by one.

2. Is it necessary to test your child for allergens?

I mentioned the benefits of allergen testing, but in practical application, many doctors actually do not recommend parents to do allergen testing for their children casually, and there are many reasons for this.

For example, the allergens in the human body may be different at different stages. When the physical condition is not good, the stress is too high, and the immunity is weakened, there is a possibility that symptoms that have not appeared before, or there may be a sudden loss of allergies to a substance; Moreover, routine allergen testing can generally only detect the degree of sensitivity of the body to common allergens, such as flour, pollen, etc.

In other words, allergen testing has two drawbacks: (1) it is not comprehensive enough and time-sensitive; (2) the results are not necessarily accurate, and there may be false positives, that is, allergies are reported but not actually allergic; or report failure to show allergy to an allergic substance.

Therefore, if the child suddenly has allergic symptoms, parents can first check the new things around the child, and after the allergy symptoms disappear, pay attention to avoid them in the future.

In addition, there are several special situations that parents may be worried about, and there is no need to test for allergens:

1. Dabao is allergic, and Erbao does not need to test for allergens

According to the "Chinese Expert Consensus on the Clinical Application of Allergen Testing in Children", only 13.6% of a person's compatriots who are allergic may have allergic symptoms. So there is no need to test for allergens, and there is no need to avoid complementary foods.

2. Frequent urticaria in children: routine allergen testing is not recommended

Acute urticaria in children usually resolves within 24 hours, and the causes of acute urticaria are too widespread to be recommended; However, if a specific allergen is identified, a blood test may be considered to confirm it, and it is easier to avoid it later.

3. For common eczema, considering food or environmental allergies, it is not recommended to test for allergens

Usually, childhood eczema can be alleviated and controlled through skin care such as moisturizing; Moreover, some studies have shown that eczema has not been significantly relieved after excluding routine food allergies (such as milk and eggs), so in general, eczema is not considered for allergens.

3. What are the recommended allergen tests?

Allergen testing is necessary in the following situations:

1. Type I allergic diseases, such as allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma, atopic dermatitis, etc.;

2. Frequent or persistent unexplained symptoms, such as seasonal runny nose and itchy eyes;

3. Obvious adverse reactions after ingestion of certain foods;

4. Allergy symptoms are not controlled by conventional drug treatment.

After the routine allergen test, the report will show the degree of reaction to various sensors, and some hospitals will have a graded display, note that this is only the risk of allergies, not the severity of allergy symptoms.

Once an individual knows their allergens, the next step is to take action under the guidance of a medical professional, such as changing their eating habits, improving their living environment, or avoiding certain activities.

When a child has allergic symptoms, parents should not panic and take their children to an allergen test in a hurry. General food allergies will get better after stopping eating the food, mild eczema, moisturizing can also get better, if it is allergic to pollen, fur, etc., staying away from these can also be prevented.

If you have a more severe allergy, you can take anti-allergic drugs under the guidance of a doctor, such as cetirizine, loratadine, etc.

For allergies, prevention is even more important.

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