Two leading allergists, Robert Wood of the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center and Scott Sicherer of Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York, urge pediatricians to use caution when ordering allergy tests for children.

In an article, published in the January issue of Pediatrics, researchers warn that blood tests and skin-prick testing should never be used as stand-alone diagnostic strategies.  These tests should be used only to confirm suspicion and not to look for allergies in an asymptomatic patient.

They add that test results should be interpreted in the context of a patient’s symptoms and medical history.  Wood and Sicherer advise the patient undergo a food challenge – the gold standard for diagnosis, if a food allergy is suspected.  This involves consuming small doses of the suspected allergen under medical supervision.

Skin tests and blood tests are proxies that detect the presence of IgE antibodies, immune-system chemicals released in response to allergens unlike food challenges which directly measure an actual allergic reaction.  Skin testing involves pricking the skin with small amounts of allergen and observing how the skin reacts.  The patient’s immune system has created antibodies to the allergen if a large hive-like wheal appears at the injections site.  On the other hand, blood tests measure the levels of specific IgE antibodies circulating in the blood.

Scientists say that these tests cannot reliably predict if a patient will have an actual allergic reaction, only if someone is sensitive to a particular substance.  They caution that many people who have positive skin tests or measurably elevated IgE antibodies, do not have allergies.  Past research has found that up to 8 percent of children have a positive skin or blood test for peanut allergies, but only 1 percent of them have clinical symptoms.

“Allergy tests can help a clinician in making a diagnosis but tests by themselves are not diagnostic magic bullets or foolproof predictors of clinical disease,” Wood says.  Many children with positive test results do not have allergic symptoms and some children with negative test results have allergies.”

Undiagnosed allergies can be dangerous, even fatal, but over-reliance on blood and skin tests can lead to misdiagnosis, ill-advised food restrictions or unnecessary avoidance of environmental exposures, such as pets.

According to Jennifer Jobrack, Midwest Director of Philanthropy at the non-profit Food Allergy Initiative says, “Research shows that oral food challenges conducted under proper medical supervision really are the gold standard for diagnosing food allergies.  But many parents may not be aware this kind of testing is an option.”

Dr. Kolbaba’s opinion:  “Kids are too unhealthy to be put under this type of "gold standard".  Get kids healthy first, then test for allergies to get a clearer picture of their health.  Allergy symptoms may disappear with a supervised diet and regular chiropractic care we offer at our clinic.  

The trend of testing procedures ordered by physicians have proven to be dangerous. Injury, unnecessary surgeries or death can occur as a result of popular testing procedures or false positives.  Here at HealthQuest, we are all above true prevention.  That’s “getting healthy and staying healthy!”

Tune in for our HealthQuest Radio show on December 31st at 11:00 am on AM560 WIND for further discussion on this topic.