What tests are included?

Allergies are the body’s reaction to internal and external stimuli, from pet hairs, aerosol sprays, and pollen, to foods and medications. Where an allergy exists it is because the immune system is hypersensitive to one or more of these stimulants. Identifying the stimulant that caused the reaction can be tricky. By getting professional care and diagnosis you can try and prevent an unwanted severe reaction eg anaphylaxis.

There are different ways of carrying out allergy testing depending on the allergy being tested for. Your consultant will often choose to do the gold standard – skin prick test. This test has immediate results and is carried out by either pricking the skin and applying a small amount of diluted allergen to the spot (percutaneous testing) or injecting a small amount of the diluted allergen into the skin (intradermal testing). This type of test is considered safe and can be conducted on children of any age (children under 6 months will not receive injected allergens for skin prick tests).  The skin around the tested area is observed after 15 minutes and if the area is raised, red, and itchy, it shows the presence of an allergy.

The cost for a standard allergy consultation is from £349, this includes an initial consultation at the cost of £249 and a skin prick allergy test at the cost of £100. We also offer an advanced allergy testing package that tests for 10 allergens, chargeable at £399.

We have a large range of allergy testing solutions, including all the common ones in children.

·      A standard skin prick test includes 5 allergens plus positive, negative controls.

·      An advanced skin prick test includes 10 allergens plus positive, negative controls.

·       It is important to complete this form and include any other possible allergens in the description box below. It is important that we know what we are testing for in case additional solutions need to be ordered. It is also important that your child does not receive anti-histamines. Children must be off their antihistamines for 48 hours (for piriton) and 1 week for all others before skin prick testing. No topical steroids should be applied for the week before. This is essential.

Treating allergies and intolerances

If an allergy, intolerance is suspected you will be able to make an appointment with our consultant to discuss treatment options and an appropriate care plan. 

Children can outgrow intolerances and allergies while other severe allergies will require ongoing care and vigilance from you and your child. Your consultant will be able to advise you on what the allergen is, how to avoid it, and what to do if your child has an allergic reaction. You may also be prescribed an injectable epinephrine pen (epi-pen) for severe allergies so that you can administer treatment directly if your child does accidentally come into contact with a severe allergen.

We can test for almost anything, although the core allergens that we generally test for are: Milk, Egg, Wheat, Soya, Peanut, Hazelnut, Grass Pollen, Tree Pollen, House Dust Mite, Cat, Dog, Horse, Rabbit, Cashew, Walnut, Pistachio, Kiwi, Apple, Strawberry, Peach, Tomatoes, Tuna, Prawn, Cod, Chicken, Latex, Mould Mix.

If you would like to test for a specific allergen outside of this range, we can arrange this for an additional £49 per allergen.

Can I opt back into the NHS for further treatment?

You are under no obligation to continue with private clinics following your consultation with Summerfield Healthcare. We are also happy to consult to give you peace of mind while you await your NHS referral.

Any further referral or testing deemed necessary by our Paediatrician can be directed to further private services, or back into the NHS system. 

Book today

Booking a consultation with our Paediatrician is straightforward, email your enquiry [email protected], call our reception team on 0333 9000 010 or enquire online.

Summerfield Healthcare’s medical reception team are specially trained to deal with all enquiries in a professional, prompt and private manner.