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What are your thoughts?
By NCPeanutMom on Thu, 04-14-05, 19:13
I was told by someone that their child had outgrown their PA. I asked for details, and found out that this child was only tested positive to peanuts on a skin prick test...never had any real contact with them (testing was done after reaction to another food).
Fast forward a couple of years, they are retesting, and now this child is negative on SPT, and CAP RAST (I am not sure if CAP RAST was done with initial testing). Food challenge shows child no longer has PA.
While I am thrilled for the family that they no longer have this issue to deal with, I can't help but be skeptical. Since this child never had any contact with actual peanuts until the food challenge, and going on the assumption that the child was only given a SPT during the initial testing, is it possible that the initial test result was a false positive, and thus the child has not actually "outgrown" anything? I've heard/read that the SPT does have a history of giving a lot of false positives.
I hope you don't think I'm being a stick in the mud. As a PA Mom, I don't want to see anyone go through this. But, I don't want to give myself false hope that one more child has outgrown their PA, when perhaps the child never really had the allergy to begin with. What are your thoughts? Do I have reason to be skeptical, or am I just being a moron about this? lol
By Suzy Q on Thu, 04-14-05, 21:54
I am a little skeptical of SPT. My son had SPT done to confirm his PN allergy after his initial reaction. They also tested the other main allergens and he tested positive to wheat, soy, shrimp, and egg. He was eating wheat and soy almost daily so I was quite surprised at the results. He never reacted to these foods before so we continue to feed them to him. His RAST for shrimp came back negative, as did wheat and soy. Egg was slightly elevated so he only eats these in baked goods.
By mcmom on Thu, 04-14-05, 22:23
I heard from someone just recently whose child had a false positive SPT.
(**I also heard from someone recently whose child reacted to pb, had a rast test done, and got a negative result. The next day she tried something with nuts for her child, they had another reaction. So I'm inclined to be a little skeptical, myself.)
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I guess it's possible they had an initial false positive. However, the great news is there is no allergy. Wow!
It could also have been a true positive and complete avoidence (as I have read) increases the chance of outgrowing the allergy.
I can't remember when I didn't have to worry about every single ingredient in every single bite of food. DS (age 11) is going to get re-tested next week. I've got my hopes up that he will test negative and have the food challenge and be given the all clear. If he hasn't outgrown it by now, then (as I have read) he won't ever. I'm still hoping and praying and watching every bite...
I like hope....
Thanks, Bridget