How early can an infant be checked for allergies?

[crazydenae]

My son is eight months old and I know he definitetly is to small for the "scratch" test right now. Not to mention he wouldn't sit still. I have read that they can do a blood test to get a general idea of what a baby may be allergic too, but it won't be as specific.

I have a severe allergies and had a "scratch" test done at 12. He shows some of the symptoms they list in baby books and other places.

[mandyhornbeck1981]

My son had a RAST test (blood test) at 10 months. His doctor tested him for the usual allergies (milk, eggs, peanuts, etc.) plus three foods I suspected. Sure enough, he was allergic to the foods I thought he was. (Bananas, Pears, and oats.) He also had the skin prick test first, but the allergist was only able to test for the common allergens and he wasn't allergic to any of them. (Which I already knew beforehand so that was really a waste of time. I wish she would have told me that BEFORE we waited three months for the appointment!)

When he had his blood taken, I thought he'd cry but he didn't even seem to notice. The nurses who drew the blood said that babies usually don't mind having blood drawn since it doesn't burn like shots do.

I'm having another baby in October (my fourth baby!) and if this little one shows any signs of allergies I'll make sure that he/she is tested no matter how young. My little Tommy suffered for months and I couldn't figure out what he was allergic to until he started solids. I felt so bad for him.

Try doing an elimination diet before the test. Or if you're thinking of other allergies, keep track of what sets him off (Tommy gets stuffy from various shampoos, soaps, household cleaners, etc.) and make sure to write down all the ingredients so they have an idea of he might need testing for.

http://foodallergies.about.com/od/diagnosingfoodallergies/p/rasttestprofile.htm

[toris mom]

all petatritions say to wait until your child is 2 to 3 years old i asked myne with my daughter he told me to wait