Skin Prick Test

What it tells us

A skin prick test measures whether your child has IgE antibodies to specific allergens - common foods and aeroallergens such as peanut, tree nuts, egg and milk, or airborne triggers such as pollen and house-dust mite. A positive test, interpreted alongside your child's history, helps us decide whether a true allergy is likely and which next steps are appropriate.

What to expect

Small drops of allergen extract are placed on the forearm or back and gently pricked. After about 15 minutes we measure any raised responses. The test is read and explained within the hour. The test does not draw blood, and with adequate distraction is only mildly uncomfortable. We hold many allergens i stock, rare foods will need to be tested using a prick-to-prick technique using that food.

What happens next

If the results are negative or strongly positive, with the history, we will usually be able to make a firm diagnosis. If we are still uncertain, as the results are small or history equivocal, we may recommend a blood (specific-IgE) test, or a supervised oral food challenge to confirm or exclude an allergy. With a certain diagnosis to hand we can then discuss treatment options available to your family.