A Better Option

Your child may be tested for allergies by two different methods—a skin prick test or an allergy blood test, such as ImmunoCAP®. Both tests are very accurate and provide similar information about a patient’s allergies.

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Allergy blood test

For an allergy blood test, a sample of the patient’s blood is sent to a laboratory for analysis. The doctor looks at the test results to help determine if the patient has allergies.

Skin prick test

For a skin prick test, a patient is pricked with a series of needles that contain extracts of allergic triggers. The doctor looks for strong reactions like welts or red bumps to determine if the patient has allergies.

Key allergy test differences
Allergy blood testing
Skin prick testing
Typically ordered and reviewed in your pediatrician's office
Yes
No
You and your child can keep taking allergy medications
Yes
No
Requires only one needle stick (a single blood sample)
Yes
No
Carries no risk of severe allergic reaction
Yes
No
Can be used when skin rash is present
Yes
No
Can be used for children as young as 3 months of age
Yes
No
Same day results in the office
No
Yes
 
Allergy blood testing can be ordered through your doctor; results are sent back a few days later
 
 
Requires special training, which usually means a visit to a specialist
 
 
Test is conducted in the laboratory; your child's allergy medications won't affect the test results
 
 
A patient must stop taking some allergy medications for a period of time before getting tested
 
 
Multiple allergic triggers can be detected in a single blood sample; multiple skin pricks aren’t required
 
 
Multiple skin pricks are required to test the skin for multiple allergens
 
 
Allergens are not introduced into the body with this type of test; no severe allergic reaction will occur
 
 
Skin prick testing may trigger severe symptoms in highly allergic individuals because the offending allergen is introduced through the skin
 
 
Severe rash in children makes skin prick tests difficult to interpret, which is not the case with allergy blood testing
 
 
Healthy skin is needed for an accurate result; can’t be performed when a child has severe eczema or another skin condition
 
 
Blood testing offers accurate results in these young children without the discomfort of multiple skin pricks
 
 
Not recommended for use in very small children
 
 
Results are sent back to your doctor's office after a few days
 
 
Results are usually seen after several minutes