Paediatric Allergy Screen

A paediatric allergy screen identifies what a child is allergic to, using skin-prick testing, a blood test, or both. It is used to explain symptoms such as wheeze, hay fever, eczema or reactions to food, and to guide avoidance advice and treatment. At Allergy Asthma Foundation it is carried out by an experienced team using current equipment and protocols, with clear information given before, during and after so that you know what to expect at every stage.

This page explains why the procedure is done, how to prepare, what happens on the day, and what recovery and follow-up involve. Your own consultant will go through the details that apply to your situation and answer any questions before you agree to go ahead.

Why it is done

A paediatric allergy screen is usually recommended for one or more of the following reasons:

• Wheeze or persistent cough with a suspected allergic trigger
• Hay fever or year-round nasal symptoms in a child
• Eczema that flares with certain exposures
• A reaction to a food, to plan avoidance or a supervised challenge
• Before starting allergen immunotherapy

It is only offered when the expected benefit clearly outweighs the risks, and the decision is always made together with you. If a simpler test or treatment would answer the question or relieve the problem, that is tried first.

How to prepare

• Bring a list of your current medicines and any earlier results for the same test.
• Ask the team whether any medicine needs to be paused beforehand — for some tests, antihistamines or inhalers are held for a short, specified time.
• Wear comfortable, loose clothing.
• Avoid a heavy meal, vigorous exercise and strong coffee in the hour before the test.
• Allow a little extra time; the appointment includes explanation and practice, not only the measurement itself.

What happens on the day

1. For skin-prick testing, drops of allergen extracts are placed on the forearm and the skin is gently pricked through each.
2. After about fifteen minutes the technician measures any small raised bumps.
3. Antihistamines must be stopped for a few days beforehand — the team will tell you exactly how long.
4. If a blood test is used instead, a single sample is taken and no medicines need to be stopped.
5. The results are explained alongside your child's history.

After the procedure

Skin testing causes brief itching that settles within an hour; a blood test may leave a small bruise. Your child can eat and play normally straight away.

You will be given written instructions covering activity, wound or puncture-site care where relevant, which medicines to restart and when, and the warning signs that mean you should contact us or attend the emergency department. A follow-up appointment or a phone review is arranged before you leave.

Benefits and risks

The main benefit is a clear answer or effective treatment that changes what happens next — a firm diagnosis, a blocked passage reopened, symptoms brought under control, or a condition safely monitored over time. For most people the procedure is straightforward and complications are uncommon.

No procedure is entirely without risk. The ones to be aware of for this treatment include:

• Local itching and small bumps during skin testing, which fade quickly
• Very rarely, a wider allergic reaction, which the clinic is equipped to treat
• A positive test to something the child tolerates in practice, so results are always read with the history

The team is trained and equipped to recognise and manage these, and the consent discussion covers how likely each is in your case and what is done to reduce it.

Results and follow-up

Skin-prick results are available at the visit; blood results take several working days. Either way, a positive test is interpreted together with what actually happens on exposure. Your consultant explains what the result means in the context of your symptoms and examination, and sets out the next step — reassurance and discharge, a change of treatment, a further test, or a planned review. With your consent a summary is sent to your family doctor so that everyone caring for you is working from the same plan.

Questions patients ask

Do I need a referral?

You can book a consultation directly to discuss whether a paediatric allergy screen is right for you. The procedure itself is arranged by the consultant after that discussion, once you have had time to consider it.

Will it hurt?

Discomfort is kept to a minimum with local anaesthetic, sedation or pain relief as appropriate to the procedure. The team will tell you exactly what you are likely to feel and will stop or pause if you need them to.

How long will I be at the hospital?

Most people are in and out within a few hours; where an overnight stay or a longer recovery is expected, that is explained clearly when the procedure is booked so you can plan around it.

To arrange a paediatric allergy screen at your nearest AAF centre, book a consultation online or request a callback. Please bring a list of your current medicines and any previous test results or discharge summaries.