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PAEDIATRIC ALLERGY ASSESSMENT PLEASE READ BEFORE YOUR CHILD S APPOINTMENT
ABOUT OUR SERVICE At Beacon for Kids we offer a comprehensive holistic paediatric allergy assessment This involves a detailed assessment carried out by our clinical team comprised of paediatricians allergists and nurses Before a decision is made on what tests are required our team of experts will carry out the assessment of your child They will obtain a detailed medical history background information on your child s condition and perform a medical examination Please note that we only perform tests that are clinically indicated by our medical team following your child s assessment We do not offer broad panel allergy testing beaconforkidsopd beaconhospital ie 01 650 4665
CONDITIONS WE ASSESS GENERAL INFORMATION Food Allergies Some foods can cause hives and swelling particularly of the lips and eyes as well as anaphylaxis severe breathing problems and possible collapse Though any food can cause an allergic reaction the link is usually apparent from the medical history given At present immunotherapy is not available for peanut or tree nut seed allergy in Ireland Most babies with milk and egg allergy respond well to structured re exposure using a ladder approach Allergic Rhinitis Nose and eye symptoms including hay fever can be caused by aeroallergens such as dust mites grass tree pollens and pets Treatment options available for these types of allergies include immunotherapy Asthma This can be triggered by aeroallergens as mentioned above Unexplained Hives Lip Swelling etc Testing may not be advised in this case as the cause is not usually allergy based and can be managed with a different approach Please discuss this with your family doctor Drug Allergy to Oral Antibiotics We perform amoxicillin testing however reactions to intravenous drugs cannot be evaluated here Please ask your family doctor for a referral to your local hospital or CHI allergy service if intravenous drug allergy testing is required IMPORTANT Please see page 5 which details conditions we do not assess
CONDITIONS WE DO NOT SEE OR TREAT TESTING The most common testing we do is Skin Prick Testing We only perform testing if following consultation we suspect an allergy based on your child s detailed medical history We do not have tests available on site for every substance only common allergens If you suspect a specific food allergy this should be clearly stated in your GP referral Blood tests may be organised here or at a paediatric hospital if required To allow skin testing to go ahead your child must not take any antihistamines before their appointment Directions as follows 7 days for Chlorphenamine PiritonTM and Desloratadine NeoclaritinTM 2 days for Cetirizine Zirtek TM Skin prick testing to food allergens is only helpful where there has been a specific immediate reaction swelling rash hives etc each time the food has been eaten often within minutes or up to a maximum of 2 hours Skin prick testing is not a useful screening test for other non specific symptoms Care plans are developed with families which may include Widening an over restricted diet Identifying other problem foods Starting medications for eczema asthma or hay fever Use of adrenaline rescue kits will be described with training and prescriptions if required
Some conditions may require a referral from your GP to a gastroenterologist or a dermatologist Please see details below CONDITIONS WE DO NOT ASSESS 1 Tummy gut bowel symptoms such as bloating or gassiness cramps Skin prick testing is not useful in assessing for tummy or gut symptoms alone These symptoms can have many causes and allergy is very unlikely Your GP can refer your child to a gastroenterologist to assess for coeliac disease and other bowel conditions Food intolerance cannot be diagnosed on skin prick tests Food intolerances rather than allergy are also a possible cause of bowel symptoms 2 We do not perform broad panels of testing testing for everything 3 Fatigue or headache 4 Milk consumption causing mucus nasal or sinus issues We do not assess this as this is not a substantiated medical condition 5 Patch testing for contact allergy dermatitis This can be a useful test to look for a cause for contact allergy or dermatitis a usually delayed skin rash from coming in contact with certain substances for example cosmetics metals etc This type of testing is most often performed in dermatology clinics please ask your GP for a referral to them 6 Eczema Eczema is a medical condition itself not simply a skin problem caused by something else Allergy testing is not helpful in eczema so this will not be performed unless there are other features to suggest a specific food allergy or other allergy We refer you to the Information sheet 20 questions on food allergy and eczema from Irish Skin Foundation at www irishskin ie
beaconforkidsopd beaconhospital ie www beaconhospital ie 01 650 4665 Beacon for Kids Beacon Mall Sandyford Dublin 18 D18 AK68 Version 1 6 24