Early Diagnosis of Allergies

Allergy symptoms progress over time, from mild to severe, with more serious allergies often manifesting as asthma. Allergies frequently begin in early childhood as adverse reactions to food, although most children outgrow their food allergies. Unfortunately, the disappearance of food allergies does not necessary signify an end to the suffering, since sensitization to inhalant allergens often appear later in childhood. The presence of a food allergy in the early years of life particularly to cow's milk and egg white is a strong predictive factor for later sensitization to inhalant allergens.

Slowing or stopping the progression of allergy through early diagnosis

It is critical that allergen sensitization be detected before onset of severe symptoms. By instituting appropriate measures allergen avoidance or immunotherapy on a timely basis it may be possible to prevent the occurrence of new, more severe symptoms and development of chronic allergic disease.

What is the goal of allergy testing?

The goal of allergy testing is to determine whether the symptoms are IgE mediated and to identify the offending allergen(s). This multifaceted approach includes a physical examination with a detailed and accurate investigation of the patient history.Specialized test, including measurements of allergen-specific IgE, skin pricks tests and food challenges, are often used to establish a final diagnosis.