Diagnostic Procedures for Allergies |In Depth
Diagnostic tests for allergy may include any or all of the following:
Skin tests:
- Measure your child's level of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies in response to certain allergens or triggers
- Very accurate
- Small amounts of solution that contain different allergens will either be injected under the skin or applied with a small scratch. A reaction would appear as a small red area.
- Usually not performed on children who have had a severe life-threatening reaction to an allergen or have severe dry skin (eczema)
Blood tests:
- Measure IgE antibodies to specific allergens in the blood.
- The blood test most commonly used is called RAST (radioallergosorbent test).
- May be used when skin tests cannot be performed.