Allergy Challenges
A challenge involves your child attending our clinic and, under medical supervision, is slowly and gradually given increasing amounts of a food or medication, to determine if they are tolerant or allergic.
Important Information
1. Please ensure that your child is well with no viral infection
If your child is unwell with a virus (runny nose, cough, fevers) this increases the chance of a severe allergic reaction occurring.
Action: Please immediately email MACCS at admin@maccsmedicalgroup.com.au or call on 03 9345 6888 to discuss and possibly reschedule the challenge
2. If your child has asthma, please ensure that this is well controlled.
If your child is unwell with asthma, this also increases the likelihood of a severe allergic reaction occurring.
We consider asthma to be poorly controlled if your child has symptoms of asthma (coughing, wheezing, chest tightness) and needing Ventolin 2 times/week or more leading up to the challenge.
Action: Please arrange to see your GP for an asthma review and immediately email MACCS at admin@maccsmedicalgroup.com.au or call on 03 9345 6888
3. Please ensure that your child has not had any antihistamines for at least 5 days before the challenge.
If your child has taken an antihistamine within 5 days, this may potentially mask a true allergic reaction occurring.
Please ensure your child continues using their usual asthma preventers (e.g. Flixotide/Seretide) and nasal steroid sprays (Nasonex/Avamys)
Action: Please immediately email MACCS at admin@maccsmedicalgroup.com.au or call on 03 9345 6888 to discuss and possibly reschedule the challenge
Challenge Preparation
What food to bring for a food challenge.
- 2 serves of the food that caused the reaction.
- A carrier food to mix with the serve of food to make the food more palatable for your child if they do not enjoy the taste.
Challenge Preparation
Things to bring on the day
- Bring your Medicare card
- Bring your GP referral
- Bring any “special” cup or bowl that your child likes
- Bring a suitable activity for your child, remembering that a challenge can take up to 5 hours
- Bring along a change of clothes for your child and yourself in the event your child vomits
- As space is limited in the clinic, we can only accommodate one parent. Please make separate child-care arrangements for other children.
- Before the appointment, if your child is hungry, please let them only have a light, non-fatty meal. This will help prevent prolonged absorption and a delayed allergic reaction during the challenge.