Peanuts
Peanut allergies are common, especially among children. They can often be severe and even life-threatening, with exposure to the tiniest amounts potentially causing severe reactions in highly sensitive individuals.
Tree Nuts
Allergy to tree nuts, such as almonds, pecans, and walnuts, is quite common among children and adults. It can sometimes cause severe responses without care.
Seeds
Seeds are often found in baked goods, cereals, salad dressings, and seed oils, which is why it's important to read food labels. Common culprits are sesame, sunflower, and mustard seed.
Milk
Cow's milk is the most common food allergen among infants and young children. Although most children outgrow milk allergies, they continue to affect some adults.
Eggs
Egg allergies are one of the most common food allergies that affect children. It usually develops in response to proteins in egg whites or yolks, leading to mild to severe reactions.
Shellfish
Shellfish varieties include lobsters, shrimp, crabs, and scallops. Shellfish allergies can develop at any age or stage in life, but are more common among adults.
We will use a small, sterile lancet or ultra-fine needle to gently prick the skin under a drop of the suspected food allergen extract. If you are allergic to this specific allergen, a raised bump should appear within 15 to 30 minutes.
This common diagnostic test measures the level of the antibody known as immunoglobulin E (IgE) specific to a particular food. High IgE levels may indicate you have a food allergy.
You'll consume the suspect food in tiny, measured doses, starting with very small amounts that gradually increase. With each dose, we'll observe you for some time for signs of a reaction. This test is considered a highly accurate method of detecting or ruling out food allergies.
Basophil Activation Test (BAT)
This test helps diagnose food allergies by mixing a tiny amount of blood with a suspected food allergen (such as peanut or milk) to see if basophils are activated. This test is valuable because it can often distinguish a true food allergy from sensitization.
