• We offer skin testing to food, seasonal, and environmental allergies. Skin testing is performed on patients’ forearms (or upper back in certain cases) and takes 15 minutes. A plastic device is used to quickly “poke” the skin. Patients are advised not to scratch the area of skin testing so as not to interfere with results.
• For environmental and seasonal allergies, intradermal testing is also done and takes 15 minutes. A small needle is used to place allergen under the skin.

There are no age limits to skin testing. However, for safety concerns we do not skin test infants less than 8 weeks of age.

• Subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT), or allergy shots, involves coming in for anywhere from 1-4 injections weekly for 5 months and then less frequently for the next 5 years. We have patients as young as 5 or 6 years old on SCIT, however, parents and patients must understand the protocol and can start therapy when they are ready.
• For environmental and seasonal allergies, intradermal testing is also done and takes 15 minutes. A small needle is used to place allergen under the skin.

Patch testing is done to assess for triggers of contact dermatitis. It involves placing patches with substances on patients’ backs and/or arms. Patches are placed on Monday or Tuesday, removed 48 hours later with preliminary read, and final read is 7 days after placement. Antihistamines can be used while you have patch testing placed.

We order blood work to evaluate both the quantity of your immune cells and their ability to function. Based on your clinical symptoms and your test results we will discuss your treatment options.

Food challenges are performed to assess a patient’s food allergy. Skin testing is performed on the day of every food challenge. If the skin testing is reassuring, the patient will be given increasing doses of the food at predetermined intervals and observed for a period of time after the last dose. The entire challenge can last anywhere from 3-6 hours depending on your history so bring toys/books/games to keep you occupied. Patients must bring the food they are eating to the office on the day of a challenge.

Most colleges have health centers where allergy shots can be administered. If not, you can find a local allergy office in the area that will administer shots. You can bring your bottles and shot sheets with you and make follow-up visits at Agape Allergy & Immunology when you are home from college on break.

Please find a local allergy office in the area that will administer your shots and notify us of contact information so that we may work with them. 

https://acaai.org/find-an-allergist/

Please bring all your medical records, shot sheets, and vials with you to our office. We may be able to continue to use your former bottles until they run out, and then we will make new bottles with our formula that are similar in concentration and antigen to what you were previously receiving at your former allergist’s office for ease of continuity of care.

Please see here for reasons to reschedule.

IgG testing has no clinical validity in the assessment of food allergies. It merely tests for foods that are consumed regularly. We do not recommend, order, or interpret these lab tests when we assess our patients for IgE-mediated food allergies.