Oral Food Challenge Test

Navigating food allergies can bring anxiety about eating away from the safety of home. The risk of accidental ingestion and subsequent severe reactions makes food avoidance challenging.

At Juniper Allergy, we provide a secure and professional setting for conducting oral food challenges. Our trained medical staff meticulously monitors each patient throughout the procedure to ensure their safety and comfort.

When to Consider an Oral Food Challenge?

An oral food challenge is typically recommended by your allergist if earlier allergy tests have been inconclusive or if there’s a chance you might no longer be allergic to a particular food. You must stop taking antihistamines or related medications and supplements several days before this test to prevent them from affecting the results.

The procedure involves consuming progressively more significant amounts of the suspected allergen under strict medical observation. This is done to monitor for any signs of allergic reactions, such as difficulty breathing or skin flushing. If any adverse reactions occur, the test is stopped immediately, and necessary medical interventions are provided.

This test must be performed in a controlled medical setting due to the risk of an anaphylactic reaction. 

Your test must be rescheduled if you are experiencing any flare-ups of asthma, allergies, eczema, or other related conditions or if you are sick or recovering from an illness. This ensures that the results accurately reflect your actual allergic status.

What My Test Results Mean?

Your allergist will guide you on appropriate medications and dietary modifications to manage and avoid potential allergens if/when you exhibit any allergic reactions during the oral food challenge. 

If you do not show any allergic symptoms during the test, it suggests that you may not be allergic to the food in question.

In this case, your physician will advise on how to gradually reintroduce this food into your diet safely. They will start with small amounts to ensure there is no delayed response and provide tips for doing this safely at home.

Let Juniper Allergy Help You

If you’d like to learn more about the oral food challenge test and how it could help you, our team is happy to answer any questions you may have. You can call (210) 888-1297 or email help@juniperallergy.com to discuss the next steps.