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Dangerous Bites
A Food Allergy Primer
By Teri Brown
This can be tested either by skin prick method or a blood test. Dr. Herrscher says while the skin prick method is more sensitive, it can give false positives for foods. It is most useful in determining a negative or non-reactive state. A negative skin test is the best predictor of not being allergic to something. The blood test is more specific and gives quantitative information on severity but has a higher false negative rate. "Many times both types of testing need to be performed for the most accurate picture," says Dr. Herrscher.
Dr. Herrscher believes while taking away and rotating through foods is helpful, it often cannot by itself give an accurate view of what is going on. "Once all the testing information is put together in context with the child's symptoms, then a treatment plan is developed that typically includes medications and allergen avoidance information for infants and toddlers, with immunotherapy (allergy shots) reserved for older children," he says.
For many families, like the Skellys, all the testing and dietary changes are worth it for the health and behavioral changes in their children.
"My youngest boy's autistic-like behavior disappeared with the diet change, he started talking soon after and he hasn't had an ear infection since," says Skelly. "I really like sharing this story because of the positive outcome, the reassurance to others who may be in a similar situation, and because it's not understood by many people how significantly food can affect behavior. I have no idea where our family would be without the dietary changes."
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