Allergy testing

supersheeps

I'm sure some people on here have gone through this, I need some advice! My daughter (14 months) has had two allergic reactions recently, the first time she ended up in a&e because her face blew up so much, she was given steroids and zirtec. Yesterday, it wasn't as serious, just her eyes swelled up, so I gave her zirtec almost immediately & it went within 15 minutes.
Both times, she was eating hummus, so we think it must be that (my child's such a Southside Dubliner already!), although she had it a few times before the first reaction so we didn't suspect that the first time. So far, they've just been contact reactions, but I'm worried that her next reaction is going to be an anaphylactic one, so I want to get her tested to narrow down what it could be.
Do I just bring her to the doctor and they get the process going, or do I have to organise something myself? If so, how? Is going through public health ok, or are we better off going private (money's really tight but she's on her dad's health insurance) Google was a scary scary place last night!

cyning

Gp is your first port of call. The waiting times to see a paediatric immunologist/allergist for routine cases at the moment is about 2 years. Privately there's someone in cork it's about 9 months. So GP first!! They may be able to refer you on to a paediatrician who will help first.

Testing wise they can do a blood test to see but it won't show non ige reactions from what I can remember. Was there sesame in the hummus?

You must have got such a fright hope your ok.

supersheeps

2 years?!! Oh no!!
Apparently, according to doctor Google, the allergens in hummus are either sesame seeds, sesame oil or chickpeas. Sesame oil is in lots of cosmetics, and I use it a lot in stir fries. Chickpeas are related to peanuts and can trigger a peanut allergy. Excluding these things is going to be a major pain.
I stayed really calm both times, and got the situation under control while my husband panicked, but now's my time to worry!
Thanks for the advice!

cyning

There are only two in the country and only one takes private referrals. Aideen Byrne in Crumlin and Jonathon Hourihane in Cork. Again I could be wrong so all as far as I know but I saw him in Sept so certain on those waiting lists.

There are paediatricians with an interest in allergies though who wouldn't have half as long a waiting list so your GP may suggest that. Hope you get some answers it must be so worrying

Drdoc

We just recently saw Aideen Byrne in Crumlin and we only had a 3 month wait for an appointment. That was public and GP sent in a referral.
Good luck, it's a scary thing!

Coopaloop

We are actually going with our two year old this Wednesday after about a year wait,you can just go and get a specific thing tested,like the main allergy tests in Crumlin with a referral from gp,but it does not do the full test if you get me,that what we got first and it showed he wasn't allergic to peanuts etc. But then he had a reaction again to something (we don't know what) so doc sent referral for this test with is for a full test of allergies.

supersheeps

Ok, sounds like we might not have too long a wait. Although, thanks to everyone being sick, I can't get an appointment with her doctor!! I've warned her creche, and her daddy and I are being very careful with her!

fro9etb8j5qsl2

I don't want to hijack the thread but just wondering how to book privately? My little girl has a cow's milk protein allergy and also shows sensitivity to some other foods. Mentioned it to gp and asked for a referral but he was reluctant and said that she is too young for allergy testing (she is 11 months now).

pwurple

mrspostman, Too young sounds like a brush off. Mine had full bloods and skin prick tests done at 7 months after a reaction at 6 months to egg, and another a week later to what turned out to be nuts (it was pesto she reacted to). Thankfully we are all clear now.

Also, depending on where you are, it can take YEARS to get a proper allergy screening done, so I'd get on that waiting list sooner rather than later. How was the cow's milk allergy diagnosed... go back to that specialist?

OP, the hummus, depends where you got it, but apart from the allergens contained directly in it, nuts could also be present. It was one of the ones we had to avoid at the start.

Buy some zirtek (its available over the counter), read the instructions and keep it in the house. They don't react the first time they are exposed to an allergen... With an A&E admission for an allergic reaction you should get pushed up the list.

ThisRegard

Enoch Itchy Beefsteak wrote: »

I don't want to hijack the thread but just wondering how to book privately? My little girl has a cow's milk protein allergy and also shows sensitivity to some other foods. Mentioned it to gp and asked for a referral but he was reluctant and said that she is too young for allergy testing (she is 11 months now).

11 months shouldn't be too young . They may prefer them to be older as they may grow out of the allergy though, but they can do bloods.

If you want to go private you can basically ask your GP for a recommendation or try find one yourself, ring the consultants secretary and basically book an appointment. Get a referral letter from your GP too. The consultant will probably refer you to an outpatients clinic anyway to get the bloods but it's just a walk in with no waiting list.

As a matter of interest, why do you think it's a cow's milk protein allergy? Is she fine with goats milk and yoghurt?

Andso

I'd be interested to know where you got the test done for milk protein mrspostman. My dd 2yrs old, seems to have the same. I have been to gp but only had stool sample tested and nothing showed up. I have a ds with severe nut allergy so already familiar with prof hourihan but he isn't as interested in intolerance as opposed to allergies so gp not keen to refer her. At the moment I'm guessing this is problem but I'd love to be certain.

fro9etb8j5qsl2

She hasn't been diagnosed by testing but 2 different gps have diagnosed it on sight. She breaks out in a rash when her skin comes into contact with any milk products, without her even ingesting it. For instance, if her brother spills a few drops of milk on the floor and she sits on it, she will get a rash. Or if I make up any packet foods that contain whey powder and she dips her finger in, she will come out in a rash. We are hoping she will grow out of it and have been advised to try the milk challenge now that she is 1 to see if there is any improvement. I would still like to get her tested though as there are other things that I think she might have had mild reactions to.