Contents:
- Medical Video: Skin Prick Test (Allergy Test) - John Hunter Children's Hospital
- What is a skin prick test?
- Can children do this allergy test?
- Is this allergy test safe?
Medical Video: Skin Prick Test (Allergy Test) - John Hunter Children's Hospital
If you begin to suspect that you have symptoms that lead to certain allergies, it's good to consult a specialist doctor immediately to get the right diagnosis and treatment. Ensuring allergies are also very important so you can avoid the trigger next time, so you avoid serious allergic reactions (anaphylactic) that can endanger life. To detect triggers for allergies, several allergic tests are usually carried out, one of the tests being done is a skin prick test or skin prick test.
What is a skin prick test?
An allergy test is a series of tests conducted to find out whether you have an allergy to an allergen (trigger allergies) or not. This allergy test is very important, because by doing a test you can keep yourself away from allergens that threaten health.
One test to find out about allergic diseases is a skin prick test or skin prick test. What is a skin prick test? If you hear the word skin prick test, you may be hiding your skin with a needle. Actually your skin will indeed be pierced. But don't worry, this won't hurt or hurt.
A skin prick test is performed to find out if you are allergic to several allergens at once such as pollen, mold, animal hair, mites, or certain foods. Usually, a skin prick test is performed on the forearm.
Before the test is done, the medical team will first clean the forearm or back to make it more sterile. After that, then the doctor or nurse injects and gives suspected allergens in very little levels in the area.
The results can be seen in 15 to 20 minutes, marked by swelling or itching. If that happens, you are positively allergic to these allergens. If not, then it means you are not allergic to the allergen substance that is inserted.
Can children do this allergy test?
This allergy test can also be done on children with the aim of finding out allergic diseases in children easily. But the procedure that must be done is not arbitrary.
Only doctors trained in the field of allergy-immunology can do it. The mandatory procedure for a skin prick test includes the child must be 3 years old, in a healthy body condition and not taking anti-allergy medication for approximately 3 to 7 days.
This test is done by giving a special tool on the skin called an allergen extract. This allergen extract is dripped on the skin. These allergen extracts are actually natural ingredients that most often cause allergies in many people.
Allergy testing in children is done using a special needle. So with this procedure the child will not feel sick or bleed. The results of this allergy test can be found in just 15 minutes after the test is done.
Is this allergy test safe?
Patients may feel uncomfortable during the test. Because allergens are tested on the patient's skin, it is likely that the patient will experience an allergic reaction and symptoms, if the patient is indeed allergic to the substance being tested.
Symptoms of allergic reactions range from mild to quite serious, such as swelling and the appearance of red bumps that itch or spots. Patients are also at risk of experiencing severe and life-threatening allergic reactions, although this is very rare.
However, because allergy testing is done safely in a hospital or clinic under the supervision of a doctor, all allergic reactions that occur can be treated immediately. If the patient is proven to be allergic to certain substances, allergies can be treated. Patients will also be asked to avoid these substances, to help prevent symptoms and reduce the risk of complications.
Knowing the foods or substances that cause allergies is an important part of the health care of allergy sufferers. If possible, the best way to prevent an allergic reaction is to find the cause and avoid it.
If it cannot be avoided, treatment may be carried out and can be given by reducing allergic symptoms if already exposed to allergens.
