Paediatric allergy · London
Baby & toddler allergy assessment - private in London.
A calm, evidence-based assessment for infants with eczema, a family history of allergy, or a suspected reaction to a first food. One consultant paediatric allergist, a personalised weaning plan, and a dietitian on hand when food needs to be restricted.
When to book
When an assessment is genuinely worth doing.
Most babies do not need an allergy work-up. These are the situations where seeing a paediatric allergist changes what happens next.
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Moderate to severe eczema
Persistent eczema that is not controlled with regular emollient and a mild topical steroid, particularly in a baby under one.
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Weaning with a strong family history
A parent or sibling with peanut allergy, egg allergy, asthma or severe eczema, and you are approaching first foods.
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An immediate reaction to a first food
Hives, facial swelling, vomiting within two hours, sudden cough or wheeze, or a floppy, unresponsive episode after peanut, egg, milk, sesame or another new food.
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Failure to thrive with gut symptoms
Poor weight gain alongside vomiting, chronic diarrhoea, mucus or blood in the stool, or refusal of feeds.
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Suspected FPIES
Profuse repetitive vomiting one to four hours after a specific food (often rice, oats, cow's milk or fish), sometimes with pallor and lethargy.
What is included
What the assessment actually covers.
A single unhurried appointment, with tests and dietitian input added only where they will genuinely change management.
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60-minute paediatric allergist consultation
A calm, unrushed history: pregnancy and feeding, eczema pattern, exact symptoms and timing, weaning so far, and family allergy history.
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Eczema and skin barrier examination
Severity scoring, distribution, current emollient and topical steroid regimen, and whether flares are being under-treated.
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Growth assessment
Weight, length and head circumference plotted on the UK-WHO chart to check for faltering growth alongside symptoms.
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Skin prick testing if indicated
Painless drops on the forearm or back for the foods your baby has reacted to or is about to try. Results in 15 minutes.
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Component-resolved specific IgE
Where useful, a small blood test for Ara h 2 (peanut), Gal d 1 (egg), Cor a 14 (hazelnut) and other components that distinguish true allergy from harmless sensitisation.
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Paediatric dietitian input
If any food needs to be removed, a dietitian ensures energy, protein, calcium, iron and vitamin D are not compromised during a critical growth window.
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A personalised weaning plan
Written, printable, and specific to your baby. Which foods to introduce, in what form, at what pace, and what to watch for.
The EAT and LEAP evidence
Early introduction, done properly, prevents allergy.
Two landmark UK trials reshaped how we advise parents. Advice from a decade ago (delay peanut and egg) is no longer correct.
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LEAP (2015)
In high-risk infants (severe eczema and/or egg allergy) the early introduction of peanut from four to eleven months reduced peanut allergy at age five by around 80% compared with avoidance.
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EAT (2016)
In the general infant population, early introduction of six allergenic foods from three months alongside breastfeeding reduced food allergy in babies who followed the protocol.
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BSACI and iMAP guidance
UK guidance now recommends structured early introduction of peanut and well-cooked egg from around four to six months for high-risk babies, with prior assessment where appropriate.
In practice, this means that for a baby with moderate or severe eczema, or an existing egg allergy, a supervised or planned introduction of peanut between four and six months substantially reduces the chance of developing peanut allergy at all.
The plan
A structured weaning plan for a high-risk baby.
This is the shape of the plan you leave the appointment with, tailored to your baby, your family history and any test results.
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Get eczema under control first
Optimise emollient use and treat active flares before the first allergenic food. Broken skin is where sensitisation begins.
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Start complementary foods around four to six months
Begin with simple purees (vegetable, fruit, baby rice) once your baby shows developmental readiness.
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Introduce peanut safely
A smooth peanut puff dissolved in milk, or a level teaspoon of smooth peanut butter mixed into warm puree. Never whole nuts or lumps of nut butter.
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Introduce well-cooked egg
Hard-boiled or thoroughly scrambled egg mashed into a familiar food. Raw or lightly cooked egg comes later.
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Add sesame, milk products, wheat, fish, tree nut butters
One new allergenic food every few days, alongside a widening diet of ordinary family foods.
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Keep the food in the diet
Once tolerated, aim for at least twice weekly. Tolerance is maintained by exposure, not by a single successful taste.
Eczema care
Managing eczema alongside allergy.
Skin barrier control is the single most useful thing you can do for a baby at risk of food allergy. Weaning goes better when eczema is settled.
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Emollient, generously and often
A thick emollient at least three times a day, and after every bath, applied in the direction of hair growth. Choose a preparation your baby tolerates.
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Treat flares properly
The right strength of topical steroid, in enough quantity, for long enough. Under-treatment is one of the most common reasons eczema keeps flaring.
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Short lukewarm baths
Daily bathing is fine and can be helpful. Use a soap substitute, pat dry, and apply emollient within three minutes.
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Do not eliminate foods without proof
Removing milk, egg or wheat "just in case" can worsen weaning, undermine growth and, paradoxically, increase the risk of true allergy developing later.
Cost in London
What you can expect to pay.
Honest London ranges. We come back with a firm quote and options across the vetted network within one working day.
| Item | Indicative range |
|---|---|
| Initial consultation plus skin prick testing | £350 to £650 |
| Consultation with component-resolved specific IgE | £550 to £950 |
| Paediatric dietitian session | £150 to £280 |
| Follow-up review | £250 to £450 |
Where in London
Where we send children for allergy work-up.
Five settings we routinely use for infants and toddlers, chosen for paediatric allergist experience and a calm environment for very young children.
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The Portland Hospital Paediatric Allergy
Great Portland Street. Dedicated paediatric allergy service in a children's hospital setting.
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HCA The Wellington Hospital Paediatric
St John's Wood. Consultant paediatric allergists with skin prick and component testing on site.
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GOSH International and Private Care
Great Ormond Street. Complex paediatric allergy, FPIES and food challenge pathways.
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Chelsea and Westminster Paediatric Private
Fulham Road. Paediatric allergy alongside dermatology for eczema-first cases.
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Great Portland Street private clinics
Several boutique paediatric allergy practices around Harley Street and Great Portland Street.
Signs it is not allergy
Sometimes the honest answer is: this is not allergy.
A good assessment rules out allergy just as often as it rules it in. That answer, given clearly, is worth as much as any test.
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Colic without a specific trigger
Predictable evening crying that settles by around four months and is not linked to a particular feed is almost never allergy.
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Simple lactose intolerance
Bloating, wind and loose stools without eczema, hives, vomiting or growth failure suggests transient lactose sensitivity, not cow's milk allergy.
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Texture aversion
Gagging on lumps or refusing new textures at eight to twelve months is a feeding-skill stage, not an allergy signal.
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Developmental feeding challenges
Slow acceptance of new foods, fussiness around twelve to eighteen months and food refusal phases are common and rarely allergic.
Related pages
Related tests, treatments and conditions.
Deeper guides for the specific test, ladder or condition your child needs.
FAQs
The questions parents actually ask us.
Written for tired parents at 11pm, not for a search engine.
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My baby has bad eczema. Does that mean they have food allergies?
Not automatically. Eczema increases the risk of food allergy, but many babies with eczema have no food allergy at all. What eczema tells us is that the skin barrier is disrupted, which is why early, controlled introduction of allergenic foods matters so much. An assessment helps you introduce those foods with confidence rather than fear.
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Can we just do EAT-style early introduction at home without seeing anyone?
For most babies without severe eczema and without an existing food reaction, yes. UK guidance supports early introduction at home from around four to six months. An assessment is recommended when your baby has moderate or severe eczema, an existing egg allergy, or has already had a suspected reaction to a food.
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Will private health insurance cover this?
Most policies cover paediatric allergy consultations and testing when there are documented symptoms such as eczema, reactions or gut problems. Purely precautionary assessments in a well baby are usually self-pay. Your consultant's secretary can pre-authorise before you book.
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Is weaning safe if a sibling has a severe nut allergy?
Yes, and in fact early introduction is more important, not less. A sibling with peanut allergy is one of the strongest reasons to have an assessment before first peanut exposure so introduction can be planned and, if needed, supervised.
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My baby is not gaining weight and vomits after feeds. Could it be allergy?
Cow's milk protein allergy, other food protein-induced conditions and FPIES can all present with poor weight gain, vomiting and gut symptoms. A paediatric allergist and dietitian working together can identify the cause, remove only what needs removing, and protect growth.
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How do I tell colic from a milk allergy?
Colic tends to be predictable evening crying in an otherwise thriving baby, and settles by around four months. Cow's milk allergy usually brings other signs: eczema, hives, vomiting, blood or mucus in stools, or faltering weight. If you are unsure, an assessment is the safest way to get a clear answer.
Ready when you are
Bring us the eczema, the reaction, or the weaning worry - we will help you plan the next step.
A short, confidential message is enough to start. We reply within one working day with a paediatric allergist we trust and a clear plan for your child.