Dealing With Food Allergies? 4 Signs It's Time To Have Your Child Retested
When it comes to childhood food allergies, you can't be too careful. If your child has food allergies, you should maintain contact with their doctor. This contact should include routine allergy tests. Here are four reasons why your child should have a new allergy test performed.
Your Child is Under Two Years of Age
If your child is under the age of two, they should be tested for food allergies a couple of times a year. That's because food allergies can change quite quickly during the first two years of your child's life. They may add new foods to their list of allergens. They may even outgrow certain food allergies. Frequent testing during those first two years will help you and your doctor keep track of the allergens in your child's life.
Your Child Didn't React to a Known Allergen
If your child suffers from food allergies, there's always the risk that they'll be accidentally exposed to those allergens. If your child didn't react to a know food allergen, it's time to have them retested. Your child may have outgrown that particular allergy. However, if your child did react to the accidental exposure to the allergen, you don't need to have them retested.
Your Child Reacted to a New Food
If your child has suffered an allergic reaction to a new food, it's time to schedule a retake of the allergy test. Your child may have added more than one new allergen to their list. A retake of the allergy test will allow your doctor to identify the changes to your child's list of known food allergies. It's a good idea to have your child retested each time they have a reaction to a new food, even if the reaction was mild.
Your Child Hasn't Been Tested in a Couple Years
If your child hasn't been tested for allergies in a few years, you need to schedule a retest. Allergies can change over time. In fact, some allergies can either increase or decrease in severity over time. Not only that, but if your child will be changing schools or child care facilities, it's a good idea to start out with a new allergy test. That way, you can provide the school or child care facility with an updated list of known allergens.
If your child has food allergies, keep yourself well-informed. If any of the information provided above pertains to your child, contact your doctor and schedule a new allergy test.