Food Allergy Consult

What to expect at your first appointment…

Your allergist will evaluate several things before making an allergy diagnosis, and it’s nice to know what to expect.

Your allergist will begin by taking a detailed medical history. They will ask detailed questions about your history of allergy symptoms, your diet, your family’s medical history, and your home and living area. Some questions your allergist may ask include:

  • The symptoms you have after eating the food.
  • How long after eating the food these symptoms occurred.
  • How often the reaction has occurred.
  • Whether it occurs with other foods.
  • Whether it occurs every time you eat the food.
  • What type of medical treatment, if any, you received after having symptoms.

These questions help your allergist find out what is causing your allergy or making your symptoms worse. Your allergist may recommend allergy tests, such as a skin test or blood test to determine if you have a food allergy. A sensitivity to a food can be indicated in a skin prick test or a blood test, but does not always show a true allergy unless there has been a previous reaction to the food. These tests may offer clues about the causes of symptoms, but they cannot determine whether someone has a food allergy with absolute certainty.