Your child has had a negative allergen challenge
This page explains that the child in your care has had a negative allergen challenge. This means they are not allergic to that item and they can safely introduce it into their diet or let them come into contact with it. Most allergic reactions happen immediately after the allergen has been eaten or contact made with the allergen e.g. latex, medication, and almost always happen within an hour. The child has been observed on the ward for at least 2 hours without any evidence of a reaction. It is now safe for the child in your care to go home. Delayed reactions can happen but this is extremely unlikely.
What to do if your child has an allergic reaction following their allergen challenge?
If your child experiences any of the following over the next 12 hours please seek urgent medical attention. Call 999 or go to the nearest Emergency Department.
- Difficulty in breathing (wheezing, severe coughing, noise on breathing in)
- Change in the level of consciousness (fainting, dizziness, confusion, disorientation)
If prescribed, administer the child’s adrenaline pen.
If the child has any other mild symptoms such as nettle rash (hives) or swelling, please give their prescribed dose of Cetirizine/other non-sedating antihistamine. Contact the Paediatric Day Unit (PDU) within opening hours, NHS 111 or the child’s GP for advice if needed.
Follow-up
We will write to you including an updated allergy action plan, if required, and make an allergy clinic follow-up plan. If you do not receive this correspondence within 1 month please let us know. We will also inform your child’s GP of the results of this challenge.
Discharge advice for children after challenges
Boiled or scrambled egg challenge
No reaction: The child in your care can now eat food that contains thoroughly baked eggs, such as cake, pastry and processed foods.
They may also safely eat semi-cooked eggs such as boiled, poached, scrambled,
omelettes and pancakes. Continue to avoid foods containing raw egg such as mayonnaise, mousse or raw cake mixture. Helping to prepare food with eggs must be avoided, though the child may eat the food once it has been cooked.
Reaction:
If your child has reacted to boiled egg, they may still eat food that contains thoroughly baked eggs, such as cake, pastry and processed foods, if this was previously tolerated. However, semi-cooked eggs, such as boiled, poached, scrambled, omelettes or pancakes must be avoided.
Other foods to continue to avoid include any containing raw egg such as mayonnaise, mousse or raw cake mixture. Helping to cook with eggs must be avoided, although the child may eat the food once it has been cooked.
Baked egg cake challenge
No reaction: The child in your care can now eat food that contains thoroughly baked eggs such as cake, pastry and processed foods.
Reaction:
If the child reacted during the cake challenge, all forms of eggs, egg products and foods containing eggs must continue to be avoided for the foreseeable future.
Baked or fresh milk challenge
It is sensible to introduce milk, in the form that was challenged, into the child’s diet slowly. This should be over the course of a couple of weeks as they will not be used to the lactose in milk. Too much lactose at once may result in a tummy ache or diarrhoea. After a couple of weeks these symptoms should go away.
Nut challenge
If the child in your care has had a negative challenge it is important that they now introduce this nut regularly into their diet. There have been cases of nut allergy recurring in children who continue to completely avoid them.
Contact information
Paediatric Day Unit
Gloucestershire Royal Hospital
Tel: 0300 422 8452
Monday to Friday, 7:00am to 7:30pm
Please email the Paediatric allergy team secretary if you have any questions: