NHS Allergy Testing for Alice Walsh

As you may know, my daughter Alice was the main inspiration for starting the TalkHealth sites.

We are luckier than most, as her chronic atopic eczema has not continued through all her childhood. The first 5 years of her life were horrendous but thankfully, with careful attention to moisturisation, and implementing a number of other procedures, Alice is mostly eczema-free. She still has patches here and there - mainly on the backs of her knees and creases of her arms, but nothing like she used to have when the condition engulfed most of her body. However, her skin is still very sensitive.

Alice is now almost 11 years old. And, as is typical with most patients who have atopic eczema, she has also sufferes with a number of associated conditions such as allergies and asthma. Recently she's started to use an inhaler again for her asthma, which tends to develop when she exercises; and she is a very sporty young girl, so she uses the inhaler quite a bit.

Over the years, Alice has suffered with a number of allergies. As a baby, and when her eczema was at its worst, she was treated for Staph Aureus infections with Flucloxacillin, a medicine which is a member of the Penicillin family. When she was taking this, I suspected a secondary rash on her skin, which was eventually noticed on her 3rd dose of the medicine. It was then confirmed that she was allergic to Flucloxacillin, and probably all Penicillins.

Alice is also allergic to some cough preparations. Christmas 2008 resulted in an anaphylactic shock two days before Christmas Day due to a dose of Venos Honey and Lemon cough medicine. The debate is whether Alice is allergic to sulphites found in some medicines and now in some foods too, or one of the other ingredients in the cough medicine. The difficulty is that there are currently no tests that can determine whether or not a person is allergic to medicines.

Alice was tested for a number of allergies in 2003 just before she started school. The results revealed allergies to egg, salmon, grass pollen and dust mites. As a result, Alice was challenge tested for eggs on a second visit to hospital, mainly because she was due for some vaccinations, some of which are cultured on egg white. This test involved feeding Alice small amounts of egg and monitoring her heart rate, and general reactions. Eventually, she vomited having eaten about a 1/3 of an egg. This meant that the results were inconclusive, but whilst she probably couldn't eat a whole egg, she could tolerate foods containing egg. We were advised that she would probably grow out of the egg allergy in time.

This week (November 2009) we had another visit to Basingstoke Hospital, Allergy Clinic - to find out what Alice is still allergic to and what she may have grown out of. The unit was unsurprisingly very busy. However, we were seen promptly and went through a detailed questionnaire with the doctor which I had completed prior to the appointment.

It was decided that Alice should be tested for a range of potential allergens, including egg, fish, seafood, grass and tree pollen and dust mites. A numbered grid was drawn on Alice's arm (see below) and then a small drop of liquid from several different bottles was placed within each square on the grid. A tiny pin was poked onto the skin and twisted quickly to allow the liquid to seep under the skin's surface. We were then asked to sit in the waiting room, not to touch or scratch the skin, in order to see what reactions, if any, occurred.

(This photograph was taken about 18 hours after the tests were undertaken, and as you can see there is still a red mark within box number 5 which is quite noticeable. This is Alice's reaction to dust!)

Within minutes two large, itchy lumps/swellings appeared in boxes 5 and 11. The nurse measured each swelling and confirmed that these were allergies to grass pollen and dust mites. Pleasingly, there was no adverse reaction to any of the foods Alice was tested for which is very positive.

We already take measures to limit exposure to dust mites by using appropriate bedding and protectors. We have thin washable curtains, a carpet with short pile etc, and during the hay fever season, Alice takes antihistamine.

Hospital allergy tests provide reliable results. They have enabled us to pinpoint the steps we need to take to further limit exposure to dust mites and pollen. I would recommend anyone with any suspicions that they may be allergic to anything, to ask their doctor for an NHS referral to an allergy clinic. Dependent upon where you live, referral times can be lengthy. If you feel your symptoms are excessive and cannot secure an NHS appointment within a reasonable period of time, you might want to onsider making an appointment with a private allergy clinic.
See our list of clinics here.

As a result of Alice's mild but persistent eczema, and her allergy to dust mites, I will be trialling a new type of bedding over the next few weeks called DermaTherapy. Amongst its many properties, DermaTherapy bedding is lint free and can be washed at virtually any temperature, hence perfect for killing dust mites. It also lasts twice as long as conventional cotton bedding as it is made from uniquely structured, long filament fibres. This unique fabric also dissipates heat and moisture away from the skin which can significantly help those with eczema and psoriasis. DermaTherapy's durable antimicrobial finish helps to maintain fabric freshness by eliminating odours caused by bacteria and fungi, so could also be suitable for use by people who suffer with allergens to fungal spores.

Following the trial, I am keen to have Alice tested again in hospital for her dust mite allergy to see if using DermaTherapy reduces her exposure to dust mites, and hence reduces the reaction and symptoms. I am also keen to find out if it helps to keep her cool at night, as Alice does get very hot and sweaty, as this could also help with her patches of eczema.

Once Alice and I have undertaken this trial, I will write another article about the trial.

 

Written by Deborah Mason, Managing Director and Founder of TalkHealth Partnership Ltd