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Paediatric allergy testing - clear answers for worried parents.

For babies, toddlers, children and teens with suspected food or environmental allergy. A consultant paediatric allergist, on-site skin prick and specific IgE testing, and a written management plan the same day.

A stethoscope on a clinical desk

Indicative pricing

What private paediatric allergy testing costs in the UK.

In short

Consult + skin prick: £400–£700, plan in the same visit.

ItemIndicative range
Paediatric allergy consultation£250–£450
Skin prick testing (up to 12 allergens)£180–£350
Specific IgE blood panel£180–£500
Component-resolved testing (ISAC / ALEX)£350–£700
Oral food challenge (per food)£600–£1,200
Follow-up allergy consultation£150–£280
Anaphylaxis + EpiPen training session£120–£220

The problem

A consultant paediatric allergist, the right test for the story, and a plan you leave with.

  • The right test for the right story

    Testing without a history is misleading. We test what the story points to, not everything on the panel.

  • Skin prick and IgE on the same visit

    Consultant clinic with on-site testing - no waiting weeks for a first appointment then weeks more for tests.

  • Independent, and free

    This is an information guide, not a referral or booking service.

When it helps

When paediatric allergy testing is the right step.

  • Suspected food allergy in a baby or toddler

    Rash, vomiting, wheeze or swelling after a specific food - this is where accurate diagnosis matters most.

  • Suspected nut, sesame or seafood allergy

    The commonest triggers for anaphylaxis in UK children.

  • Cow’s milk protein allergy

    IgE and non-IgE presentations, both worth a proper assessment.

  • Egg allergy and the MMR question

    Most egg-allergic children can have MMR safely - we say when hospital administration is needed.

  • Eczema with suspected food trigger

    Moderate-to-severe eczema in a young child - sometimes food-driven, often not.

  • Hay fever and asthma control

    Environmental allergies that are limiting sleep, school or sport.

  • Drug reactions and antibiotic labels

    Suspected penicillin or NSAID reactions - testing before the next infection matters.

  • Red flag: previous anaphylaxis

    A child who has had airway or breathing symptoms needs an urgent consultant plan, not a GP wait.

Options

The test depends on the child, the age and the story.

  • Skin prick testing

    The workhorse - quick, safe, high specificity for aeroallergens and most foods.

  • Specific IgE blood panel

    When skin prick is not possible - active eczema, antihistamine use, needle-averse teen.

  • Component-resolved testing

    ISAC or ALEX for peanut, hazelnut, wheat and shellfish - separates high-risk from low-risk sensitisation.

  • Oral food challenge

    The gold standard when history and testing disagree - always in a clinic with resus facilities.

  • Patch testing (delayed reactions)

    For contact dermatitis and some food-protein-induced enterocolitis.

  • Tryptase (baseline and post-reaction)

    To exclude mastocytosis and confirm anaphylaxis after a serious reaction.

  • Lung function and FeNO in older children

    When asthma sits alongside allergy.

  • Written management + rescue plan

    The output that matters - a BSACI-style plan you and school can follow.

Safety and recovery

What to expect - honestly.

  • Skin prick testing is very safe

    Local wheal only in most children; systemic reactions are rare but rooms are resus-equipped.

  • Blood tests can over-diagnose

    A positive IgE without a matching history is sensitisation, not allergy.

  • Oral food challenges carry a real risk

    Small risk of anaphylaxis - always in a clinic with a paediatric anaphylaxis pathway.

  • The plan matters more than the test

    A written rescue plan and EpiPen training changes outcomes.

  • Antihistamines before testing

    Non-sedating antihistamines are stopped for 3–5 days before skin prick testing.

  • Eczema flares affect testing

    Skin prick sites need to be reasonably clear - plan a good eczema week.

  • School and nursery communication

    The clinic letter should be one that a school nurse can act on.

  • Follow-up matters

    Many childhood allergies resolve - re-testing at the right age is part of the plan.

  • Red flag: airway swelling, breathlessness or collapse

    Adrenaline first, 999 second. Every family with a diagnosed allergy needs to be clear on this.

Your notes

Your report in four parts.

A UK consultant reviewing notes
  1. Header

    History summary and tests done

    What the child reacted to, what was tested, and the tools used.

  2. Technique

    Skin prick, IgE and component results

    Wheal sizes, kU/L values and component pattern where relevant.

  3. Findings

    Diagnosis and severity

    What the child is and is not allergic to, and how severe.

  4. Impression

    Management plan and rescue medication

    Read this first: what to avoid, what to carry, and when to inject adrenaline.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

Paediatric allergy is available on the NHS but 6–18 months waits are typical for a first specialist appointment; it is usually covered by private insurers when medically indicated.

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about paediatric allergy testing.

  • When should a child be tested for allergy?

    When there is a clear history of reaction to a food, medication or environmental trigger, or when eczema, asthma or hay fever is not controlled. Broad "just in case" panels in a child with no symptoms are not recommended.

  • What does paediatric allergy testing involve?

    A consultant paediatric allergist takes a detailed history, then does skin prick testing on the forearm (quick and low-pain) or a specific IgE blood test. Component-resolved testing is added for peanut, hazelnut, wheat or shellfish where risk stratification matters.

  • How much does private paediatric allergy testing cost in the UK?

    Roughly £250–£450 for the consultation, £180–£350 for skin prick testing, £180–£500 for a specific IgE blood panel and £350–£700 for component-resolved testing. Oral food challenges are £600–£1,200 per food.

  • Is paediatric allergy testing available on the NHS?

    Yes, through paediatric allergy clinics - but waits for a first NHS appointment run 6–18 months in most regions, and access to skin prick or component testing in one visit is limited.

  • Do we need to stop antihistamines before testing?

    Yes - non-sedating antihistamines (cetirizine, loratadine, fexofenadine) are stopped for 3–5 days before skin prick testing, otherwise the results are unreliable. Inhalers and steroid creams are fine to continue.

  • Will my child grow out of it?

    Cow’s milk and egg allergies commonly resolve by school age. Peanut, tree nut, sesame and seafood allergies are more likely to persist. Re-testing at the right age - usually every 1–2 years - is part of the plan.

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