Child Allergy Testing in Sharjah
Medically reviewed by Dar Al Kamal Team
What is child allergy testing?
Child allergy testing is the process a pediatrician uses to work out whether your child's symptoms are caused by an allergy, and if so, to what. An allergy happens when the immune system reacts to something that is harmless for most people, such as a food, dust or pollen.
The most useful part of the assessment is the story of what happened. Your pediatrician asks what your child ate or touched, how soon the symptoms started, what they looked like and how long they lasted. Tests are then chosen to answer that specific question.
At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, allergy assessment for children is led by the pediatric team. Blood tests are arranged here, and your child is referred to an allergy specialist when skin testing, a supervised food challenge or desensitisation treatment is the right next step.
Who needs it
Child allergy testing is for children with symptoms that suggest an allergy, including:
- Hives, lip or eye swelling, or vomiting soon after a particular food
- Eczema that stays severe despite good skin care, especially in babies
- A runny, itchy nose and sneezing that return in the same season or around dust
- Wheeze or asthma where an allergic trigger may be involved, alongside childhood asthma treatment
- A previous serious reaction that needs a clear plan for the future
The foods most often behind allergies in young children are egg, cow's milk, peanut, tree nuts, sesame, wheat and fish. Outside food, common triggers include house dust mite, cats, and date palm and other local pollens, which matter for many families in the UAE.
A reaction to milk is sometimes confused with lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance is a digestive problem that causes bloating, wind and loose stools, and it carries no risk of a severe allergic reaction.
What happens
Your pediatrician takes a full history, examines your child's skin, chest and growth, and asks about eczema, asthma and allergies in the family. If you have photos of a reaction, show them, since rashes often fade before the appointment.
Blood tests are the main allergy tests arranged at Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah. They measure allergy antibodies, called specific IgE, to the foods or triggers your pediatrician suspects. A single blood sample can check several targeted items, and it is sent to the laboratory for analysis.
The key point about these tests is simple: a positive test shows that the immune system has noticed a substance, which is called sensitisation. It becomes an allergy only when it matches real symptoms. Many children have positive results to foods they already eat happily. For this reason, your pediatrician tests for the items your child's history points to, rather than running a broad panel.
After the results, you receive a plan that may include:
- Which foods or triggers to avoid, and which your child can keep eating
- How to read food labels, including hidden sources such as milk powder or sesame paste
- A written allergy action plan to share with nursery or school
- Medicines by purpose, such as an antihistamine for mild itching and hives
- An emergency adrenaline pen for children at risk of severe reactions, with training on how and when to use it
- Referral to an allergy specialist for skin prick testing, a supervised food challenge or desensitisation, when these would give a clearer answer or open up treatment
For babies, current guidance encourages introducing common allergy foods such as egg and peanut in a safe, age-appropriate form early in weaning for most infants. Your pediatrician advises the right approach, especially if your baby has severe eczema or a known food allergy.
Preparing for it
Write down each reaction: the date, what your child ate or touched, how soon symptoms began, what they looked like and what helped. Bring photos, food packaging or labels, and any previous test results or letters, including from other countries.
Your child can keep taking their usual antihistamine before a blood test, because antihistamines leave blood test results unaffected. Bring any creams, inhalers or medicines your child uses.
For a young child, a numbing cream or a favourite toy can make the blood test easier. Explain simply what will happen and stay with them.
Afterwards
Your pediatrician explains the results in the context of your child's history and gives you a written plan. Keep the plan with you, share it with nursery, school and anyone who cares for your child, and review it as your child grows, since many childhood allergies to milk and egg fade over time.
Contact the hospital if your child has a new reaction, if symptoms change, or if you are unsure whether a food is safe.
Call emergency services or go to the nearest emergency department straight away if your child has swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, difficulty breathing or noisy breathing, a hoarse voice, repeated vomiting after a food, or sudden floppiness or paleness. Use the adrenaline pen first if one has been prescribed. Emergency allergy care is described on the severe allergic reaction care page.
Cost and insurance
Most UAE health insurance plans cover a pediatric consultation and allergy blood tests when a doctor requests them for symptoms, although some plans need pre-approval for larger test panels. Referral to an allergy specialist and any specialist testing are billed separately and may need their own approval. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you confirm your cover on 06 599 7777.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the risks and limits of allergy testing for children?
Allergy blood tests carry only the small discomfort of a blood sample. Their main limit is that a positive result shows sensitisation rather than a true allergy, so results only mean something alongside your child's history. Unnecessary broad testing can lead to foods being avoided without need. A supervised food challenge with an allergy specialist is the most reliable test when doubt remains.
Does a positive allergy test mean my child is allergic?
A positive allergy test does not by itself mean your child is allergic. It shows that the immune system has made antibodies to a substance, and many children with a positive result eat that food without any problem. Your pediatrician interprets the result together with what actually happens when your child eats or touches it.
Can my child be tested for all allergies at once?
Testing for many foods or triggers at once is usually unhelpful for children, because it produces positive results to things your child tolerates well. At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, your pediatrician chooses a small number of targeted tests based on your child's reactions, which gives clearer answers.
Is skin prick testing done at Dar Al Kamal Hospital?
Allergy assessment at Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah is led by pediatricians using the history, examination and blood tests. When skin prick testing, a supervised food challenge or desensitisation would help, your pediatrician refers your child to an allergy specialist. Antihistamines usually need to be stopped before skin testing, and the specialist tells you how long before.
Will my child grow out of a food allergy?
Many children grow out of allergies to milk and egg during childhood, while allergies to peanut, tree nuts, fish and sesame more often last. Your pediatrician reviews the allergy over time and arranges specialist referral when retesting or a food challenge could show whether a food can be reintroduced.
Is my baby's reaction to formula milk an allergy or lactose intolerance?
A reaction to formula milk in a baby may be a cow's milk allergy, which can cause hives, vomiting, eczema flares or blood in the stool, and is different from lactose intolerance, which causes bloating and loose stools and is uncommon in babies. Your pediatrician assesses the symptoms before any change of formula is made.
Is child allergy testing covered by insurance?
Most UAE insurance plans cover a pediatric consultation and targeted allergy blood tests requested for symptoms, although larger panels may need pre-approval. Specialist referral and testing may need separate approval. Confirm your cover with Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah on 06 599 7777.
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