What happens after my child has had a successful food challenge?

First step

Do not give them any more of the food they have been challenged to for the rest of the day.

In event of delayed symptoms

If there are any signs of a delayed reaction, treat your child with an appropriate dose of antihistamine (chlorphenamine or cetirizine) and contact the allergy nurses, or if out of hours, contact the medical registrar on call.

• Please call the allergy nurses on 0114 226 7872 or call the hospital switchboard on 0114 271 7000 and ask for bleep 092.
• Out of hours (after 5pm, weekends or bank holidays) please contact the hospital switchboard on 0114 271 7000 and ask for the medical registrar on call.

If you are worried about your child’s condition you should bring them to the Emergenyc Department (A and E).

If your child continues to be well

You must now begin to reintroduce the food to which they have been challenged, gradually into your child’s diet and encourage them to eat or drink this food regularly in various forms to avoid the possibility of them developing allergic symptoms again.

More information

We have given you a copy of the discharge letter and will send a copy to your GP so that they know your child has outgrown their allergy to the food they have been challenged to.

If your child is at nursery or is of school age we will give you an extra copy of the discharge letter to hand into school to inform the head teacher and school nurse that your child no longer needs to avoid the challenge food.