Paediatric allergy · London
Paediatric skin prick allergy testing - private in London
A safe, gentle 20-minute test for babies, toddlers and children. Standardised drops of common food and environmental allergens are placed on the forearm or back, read at 15 to 20 minutes, and interpreted alongside your child's history by a consultant paediatric allergist.
What the test is
A gentle, painless test with an answer in 20 minutes.
Skin prick testing is the reference test for IgE-mediated allergy in children. It is quick, safe from any age including infants, and answers a question a blood test alone often cannot.
Standardised drops
The nurse places small drops of purified allergen extracts on the forearm or back, alongside a positive control (histamine) and a negative control (saline) so the reading is objective.
Tiny prick with a lancet
A single-use plastic lancet gently pricks through each drop. It does not draw blood and most children describe it as a tickle rather than pain.
Wheal read at 15 to 20 minutes
A raised, itchy bump (the wheal) with surrounding redness (the flare) appears where your child is sensitised. The size is measured in millimetres against the controls.
Who it helps
When paediatric skin prick testing is the right next step.
The test is chosen when the story sounds allergic (hives, swelling, vomiting, wheeze, sudden eczema flares) and the trigger needs to be confirmed or safely ruled out.
Suspected food allergy
-
Cow's milk
Most common infant allergy; often outgrown by school age
-
Hen's egg
Cooked egg is usually tolerated before raw
-
Peanut
Component testing helps predict severity
-
Tree nuts
Cashew, hazelnut, walnut, almond, pistachio, brazil
-
Sesame
Rising prevalence; check tahini, houmous, breads
-
Fish and shellfish
Usually lifelong once established
-
Wheat
Distinct from coeliac disease
-
Soya
Often overlaps with cow's milk allergy
Environmental and other triggers
-
Grass and tree pollens
Seasonal hay fever, eye and asthma symptoms
-
House dust mite
Year-round nasal, chest and eczema flares
-
Cat and dog dander
Guides pet decisions and household measures
-
Moulds
Alternaria, Cladosporium in damp environments
-
Drug allergy in selected cases
Penicillin and other antibiotics can be worked up with prick and intradermal testing under specialist supervision.
Preparation
A little planning makes a big difference.
Antihistamines are the main pitfall. If they are still in your child's system the wheal cannot form, and the test has to be repeated. This short checklist keeps the day on track.
-
Hold oral antihistamines for 3 to 5 days
Cetirizine, loratadine, fexofenadine and chlorphenamine all suppress the wheal and can cause a false negative. Check syrups and cough or cold remedies too.
-
Pause topical steroids on the test area
Skip creams on the forearms and back for at least 3 days before testing so the skin reacts normally.
-
Continue asthma inhalers as normal
Preventer and reliever inhalers do not affect the test. Only stop systemic corticosteroids if the allergist has advised so.
-
Dress for easy access
A short-sleeve top or a vest works best. Bring a favourite toy, book or tablet for distraction during the 15 to 20 minute wait.
-
Feed and hydrate as normal
There is no need to fast. A well-fed, well-rested child copes far better with the appointment.
On the day
A single visit with answers before you leave.
Expect around 60 to 90 minutes at the clinic in total. Most children tolerate the test well, especially with a book, tablet or favourite toy to keep them still during the 20 minute wait.
-
1 · Consultation (30 to 45 min)
The paediatric allergist takes a full history: symptoms, timing, foods introduced, family history, asthma and eczema. This shapes exactly which allergens are tested.
-
2 · Testing and read (15 to 20 min)
Drops are placed on the forearm (or back for infants), the lancet is pressed through each, then the wheals are measured. Emergency medication is on hand although reactions are very rare.
-
3 · Plan explained
The allergist explains each result, what to avoid, what is safe to reintroduce, whether component-resolved blood tests or an oral food challenge are needed, and whether an adrenaline auto-injector is indicated.
Reading the results
A positive test is not the whole story.
A wheal at least 3 mm larger than the saline control is counted as positive. The result is then interpreted in the context of your child's actual reactions, because sensitisation alone does not always equal clinical allergy.
Positive with matching history
If your child has reacted to the food and has a positive wheal, allergy is confirmed and a written avoidance and emergency plan is issued the same day.
Positive without symptoms
Sensitisation without a clinical reaction is common, especially with dust mite, peanut and tree nuts. Component-resolved testing or a supervised oral food challenge often clarifies whether the food needs to be avoided at all.
Cost in London
Transparent private pricing.
Prices include the paediatric allergist consultation, the skin prick panel and a written management plan. Insurers such as Bupa, AXA Health, Vitality, Aviva, WPA and Cigna cover the appointment where there is a clinical indication.
| Appointment | Indicative range |
|---|---|
| Standard paediatric skin prick panel | £250 to £450 |
| Skin prick with component-resolved add-on (ISAC or ALEX blood) | £350 to £650 |
| Repeat single-allergen test (follow-up) | £150 to £250 |
Where in London
Paediatric allergy centres we work with.
Each centre has a dedicated paediatric allergy service with consultant-led testing and full anaphylaxis facilities.
-
The Portland Hospital Paediatric Allergy
Great Portland Street, W1
-
HCA The Wellington Hospital Paediatric Allergy
St John's Wood, NW8
-
Great Ormond Street Hospital International and Private Care
Bloomsbury, WC1
-
London Allergy and Immunology Centre
Harley Street, W1
-
Chelsea and Westminster Private Care
Chelsea, SW10
-
Cadogan Clinic Paediatrics
Sloane Street, SW1
Parent FAQs
The questions parents ask us most.
From what age is skin prick testing safe for a child?
Skin prick testing is safe from any age, including infants in the first few months of life. The lancet only breaks the very top layer of skin and the drop of allergen is a tiny, standardised amount. Babies, toddlers and older children are all routinely tested in London paediatric allergy clinics.
How long should my child stop antihistamines before the test?
Most oral antihistamines need to be held for 3 to 5 days before testing. This includes cetirizine, loratadine, fexofenadine and chlorphenamine. Older sedating antihistamines and some cough or cold syrups also count. Asthma preventer inhalers should be continued as normal. If you are unsure, the clinic will confirm during booking.
How often should skin prick testing be repeated in children?
For food allergies in young children, tests are often repeated every 12 to 18 months to check whether the allergy is being outgrown, particularly for egg, cow's milk, wheat and soya. Environmental allergies are usually retested every 2 to 3 years, or sooner if symptoms change.
Do private health insurers cover paediatric skin prick testing?
Most major insurers, including Bupa, AXA Health, Vitality, Aviva, WPA and Cigna, cover paediatric allergy assessment and skin prick testing when there is a clinical indication and a valid referral or open outpatient benefit. Pre-authorisation is usually needed. Component-resolved add-ons and food challenges are covered case by case.
How quickly are the results available?
Skin prick results are read 15 to 20 minutes after the drops are placed, so the paediatric allergist explains them in the same visit. You leave the appointment with a written plan, including which foods to avoid or reintroduce and whether an adrenaline auto-injector is needed.
What is the difference between sensitisation and clinical allergy?
A positive skin prick shows sensitisation, meaning your child has IgE antibodies to that allergen. Clinical allergy means those antibodies actually cause symptoms when the food or trigger is encountered. Many children have positive tests to foods they eat without any reaction. This is why the result is always interpreted alongside the clinical history, and sometimes an oral food challenge is needed to confirm.
A concierge, not a call centre
Tell us what is happening. We will match your child to the right paediatric allergist in London.
Free, confidential, and clinician-led. We reply within one working day with a recommendation, a firm quote and available appointments.