The skin is pricked with a liquid allergen.
For children, some physicians use a device that has small plastic points on it. The
points are dipped in to an allergen, then pressed on the child's back. It
is fairly painless and does not look scary like a needle. An allergic
reaction shows as tiny red welts on the child's skin. If your child tests
negative, remember that he or she may still be
intolerant to an allergen. If
this is the case, keep a
food journal to help you
find the culprit.
Skin tests for adults can be done with small needles dipped
in to the allergen and pushed in to the top layer of skin. This is called
a skin prick test. An intradermal test is carried out with hypodermic
needles. A few drops of the allergen are injected in to the skin.
Intradermal tests can involve over seventy different sticks if checking for a
full spectrum of possible allergens.
For a personal story on intradermal allergy testing, click
here.
Blood Test
A RAST test (Rasio-Allergo-Sorbent Test) will measure the
levels of antibodies to allergens in the blood. This test can be used on
people with sensitive skin conditions or who are on antihistamines. Since a
skin test can show false positives, it is often good to have a RAST test in
addition to a skin test. Blood is taken from the arm and is sent to a
laboratory for allergy testing.
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Challenge Test
A person is given a suspected allergen orally UNDER THE WATCH
OF A PHYSICIAN. The physician will look for allergic reactions in the
person.
