In children, especially under the age of one year, allergic reactions can often manifest themselves, which are expressed in the form of diathesis and not only. Sometimes even an experienced doctor cannot quickly determine what the baby is suffering from. This requires a series of special tests.
The most common method for detecting allergens in a child is the skin method. The procedure is usually done in a doctor's office. A drop of a substance that is suspected of causing an allergy is applied to the child's skin. Then a mini-injection is made through this drop and after a few minutes the result is obtained. Using a similar method, the doctor can detect the presence of an allergy to dust, food products and plants in a child. Also, the skin method allows you to determine which allergen can cause frequent attacks of bronchial asthma.
A reaction to an allergen is considered positive if swelling and redness appear at the injection site.
The skin test is so popular because it is completely painless. In addition, this procedure is very inexpensive and always shows a reliable result.
Children are very often allergic to plant pollen. But you will definitely need to find out what kind of plant we are talking about. To do this, you need to conduct a special simple test. Typically, the doctor will instill the suspected allergen into one nostril and the usual test fluid into the other. The test result is revealed by the reaction to substances. This procedure does not take much time and gives a high precision result.
You can also take an application sample from your child. To do this, put a small piece of gauze on the skin with a certain amount of a substance that may provoke allergic reactions. The result will be visible only after 24 hours. Most often, this method is used for skin contact dermatitis.
Testing for different types of allergies can be done by taking an immunoglobulin test from your child. Human serum is usually taken. A thorough blood test is performed, as a result of which the presence of immunoglobulin is detected. By its concentration, one can judge the presence of allergies.
It is recommended to exclude physical and emotional stress 3-4 days before such an analysis.
But if there is a negative reaction to some food, it is better to do the simplest elimination tests. You will first need to exclude the alleged allergen from the child's diet for a couple of weeks. We can assume that the allergen has been identified correctly if the alarming symptoms do not bother the baby for the entire period of time. Accordingly, with the introduction of this product into the diet, the allergic reaction of the body will return. It is advisable to keep a food diary when conducting such tests. Otherwise, it will be difficult to remember what and when your children stopped eating.
It is interesting that such a delicious berry as strawberry is one of the strongest allergens for the child's body.
If you suspect your baby has a drug allergy, elimination testing can also be done. Only this should be done under the strict supervision of a doctor. Only a qualified specialist can advise an analogue that can replace this or that medicine.
