Food Allergy Misdiagnosis on NPR

All Things Considered is my regular dinner-cooking background radio, so my ears perked up when I heard a story about food allergies -- specifically, about how blood tests don't always tell the full story when it comes to whether you are or aren't allergic to a food. And that can have wide-ranging implications for people who are told they can't eat a large number of foods, since managing multiple special diets is expensive and can raise risks of malnutrition and related health problems.

You can read and hear last night's story here. The gist, however, is that the food challenge remains the gold standard for diagnosis of food allergy, especially as compared to blood testing. The surprise may be just how many food allergies are misdiagnosed in children, and the take-away lesson: if you or your child have been diagnosed with allergies based on blood testing, especially to foods you've never eaten or have never reacted to, it might be a good idea to ask your allergist about getting more conclusive tests.

• Diagnostic Tests for Food Allergies