Did you know 50-80% of kids with eczema and asthma also have environmental allergies? So doesn’t it make sense to do some allergy testing to identify what they’re allergic to so we can strategically minimize their exposure?
You might’ve seen one of my emails about the different types of allergens and why it’s key to understand what’s triggering your child. Indoor allergens include things like pets, dust mites, mold. While outdoor allergens include things like trees, grasses, and weeds.
I’ve seen patients’ symptoms improve dramatically just by identifying their allergens and reducing exposure.
For example, old mattresses are breeding grounds for dust mites. If your child has an undiagnosed dust mite allergy and is sleeping on an old mattress, their body is being triggered all night long to release histamine. This can ramp up inflammation and lead to itching, poor sleep, irritability, mouth breathing, snoring, coughing—even wheezing or trouble breathing for some.
Main Types of Allergy Testing
In medicine, there are two main types of allergy tests we use for environmental allergies:
1. Skin Prick Testing (SPT)
I have seen kids with eczema get thrown into a flare from skin prick testing, so I always try to do bloodwork with them. Furthermore, newer research suggests that when we disrupt the skin barrier (as is the case with eczema), it triggers gut inflammation (AKA “leaky gut”).
If we take that logic one step further, it would stand to reason that skin prick testing a child or adult with 10-20 allergens also disrupts the skin barrier, creating more internal inflammation.
I am a proponent of testing environmental allergens through bloodwork for kids with eczema (and asthma) whenever possible.
2. Bloodwork (Serum IgE testing)
This is my preferred method for kids with eczema and asthma.
Serum IgE blood testing measures the immune system’s response to specific environmental allergens by detecting IgE antibodies in the blood. It provides a clear picture of which allergens are triggering inflammation (both indoor and outdoor allergens).
Bloodwork is less invasive than skin prick testing (SPT) and doesn’t disrupt the skin barrier. Since the skin barrier is already disrupted in eczema, keeping that barrier intact helps us avoid triggering more gut inflammation.
It also includes a Total IgE level, which helps assess overall inflammation and immune reactivity.
How I Approach Allergy Testing in My Practice
In 20 years of clinical experience, I’ve found that a simple blood test can be one of the most effective tools for getting to the root of your child’s symptoms.
Instead of just guessing, we can pinpoint specific environmental allergens and use that information to reduce or even eliminate flare-ups.
In addition to bloodwork, we also utilize tests such as CBC with differential and urine mycotox. CBC with differential looks at eosinophils, which can indicate allergies. The urine mycotox looks for potential mold exposure.
Check out this video where I break down the different types of allergy testing in more depth. I also discuss how I work with families in my practice through testing to uncover the root of their child’s health issue.
Remember, the decision about which test to do on each child is best done after an individualized evaluation.
If you have been looking for a more holistic approach to your childs health, you can book a 15-minute informational call with our Patient Care Coordinator to explore becoming a member of our private practice.
