Allergy Testing For EE--including Patch Testing

Eosinophilic Esophagitis is a rare disease that causes an allergic reaction in the esophagus.  The allergic reaction is caused by white blood cells called eosinophils, whereas food allergic reactions are brought on by immunoglobulin E (IgE).  The eosinophils can cause a delayed allergic reaction, while an IgE response is more immediate.  Some children with EE can have both delayed reactions or IgE responses to an allergen.  Food is usually the main culprit for kids with EE, however, environmental allergies can play a role as well.

There are four different ways to test a child for food allergies.  The most common two are the skin prick tests and the blood tests (or RAST tests).  There is also patch testing and fresh food testing.  Below is a description of each:

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