Food Challenge Test for Children- Why this test?
Food challenge test helps determine what foods, if any, your child may be allergic to. Your child’s health care provider may suggest this test if your child has symptoms that may be caused by a food allergy.
During this test, your child will get small amounts of foods in a supervised place to see if he or she has an allergic reaction.
Your child is having a food challenge test because he or she has had symptoms of a food allergy. These may include hives, itching, and an upset stomach. Serious reactions can cause trouble breathing. Other tests are sometimes done, such as blood or skin prick tests. However, these tests do not always provide clear results for certain foods. The food challenge test finds which foods your child is allergic to. The test also shows what amounts and types of foods your child can safely eat.
Sometimes an older child has this test to see if he or she has outgrown a food allergy.
What is being tested?
Your child’s health care provider will do the food challenge test in a medical office. Your child’s health care provider will:
- Feed your child a very small amount of a food that your child may be allergic to. Soy and peanuts are common examples.
- Wait to see if there is any reaction.
- Look for any symptoms of food allergy, such as hives or red skin.
- Gradually feed your child larger amounts of the food if there is no reaction.
- Give medicines to stop an allergic reaction if it occurs.
Your child may need to stay in the health care provider’s office for a few hours after the test to make sure there are no delayed symptoms. The test and wait time may take several hours.
How do I collect samples at home?
To keep your child safe, your child should only have this test in a health care provider’s office. If there is a serious allergic reaction, your health care providers are prepared with emergency medicine to stop the reaction. A serious allergic reaction is called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis can cause your child to stop breathing. This can be fatal without medicines to stop it.
How do I prepare for this test?
Start preparing your child about two weeks before the date of the test or as told by your child’s health care provider. During that period of time:
- Stop giving your child all antihistamine medicines.
- Do notfeed your child any foods that will be tested during the food challenge.
- Make sure that your child is healthy on the day of the test. Reschedule the test if your child is sick that day.
- Bring emergency medicines with you to the test.
- Ask your child’s health care provider if there is anything else you should do to prepare your child for the test.
What do the results mean?
The results show whether your child is allergic to the foods tested.
If your child is not allergic to a food that is tested:
There is no need to avoid that food. Your child’s health care provider will probably recommend that your child is able to eat that food regularly. Your child should not have symptoms in the future from a food that did not cause symptoms during a food challenge test.
If your child is allergic to any of the foods tested:
Do not give your child any of those foods. Your child’s health care provider will give you instructions to help your child avoid the foods. You will also get instructions and medicines for your child in case he or she accidentally eats any of those foods and has symptoms.
