Reactions get worse with time – How bad your reaction is, depends a lot on how much of the allergen you were exposed to. The next reaction you have could be better or worse than your first reaction.
Giving a little bit to encourage tolerance is a good idea – This is a nice theory, and there is evidence that giving regular (daily) small amounts of egg, milk and nut can help tolerance develop. HOWEVER, there is also a genuine risk that you will also cause a reaction, particularly if your allergy is severe. Please ONLY do this if advised by your allergy doctor or nurse.
Kids outgrow their allergies – This is true in many cases for milk and egg allergy, however, it is not true for most other allergies.
Allergy testing is dangerous – Skin testing and blood testing is extremely safe. The worst reaction you may get is an itchy lump. Occasional fainting at the skin pricks is not due to an allergic reaction. A “challenge test”, where you are given an actual food to eat, does carry a risk of a severe reaction. This should only be done in an experienced centre with a gradual approach.
You can test for allergies using hair samples – There is no scientific basis for allergy tests using hair samples. Always ask for evidence that the test being offered is looking for specific antibodies and that it gives results that predict the result of a double blind challenge.
You can test for allergies using Bioresonance (Vega) testing – There is no scientific basis for allergy tests measuring electrical currents at different sites in the body, and these tests are banned in the USA.
Goats milk is good for milk allergy – Goat’s milk is pretty much identical in allergy terms to cow’s milk. You are therefore extremely likely to react to it if you are genuinely allergic to cow’s milk.
Milk and wheat allergy common in adults – Type 1 (immediate) allergy to milk and wheat is uncommon in adults. Some adults may be intolerant which tends to present with digestion issues rather than skin or breathing reactions. Symptoms and signs can vary widely so you may still need an assessment by an allergy professional to establish the cause.
Milk allergy causes sinus and ear problems – Many families report that milk seems to cause nasal and sinus congestion, however, there is not scientific evidence for this.
I am allergic to dust – Dust mite allergy is common. It is not the dust itself you are allergic to but the mite. Therefore dust from brick, building work etc will not cause allergic reactions.
Food additives can cause allergies, (e.g. Sorbic Acid (Sorbate), Tartrazine, MSG, Benzoate). There is very limited evidence for any role of food additives in causing allergy. Hyperactive behaviour is not a symptom of allergy (as per research in Southampton, 2007).The same is true of migraine, digestive symptoms and joint pains as there are no reproducible or consistent data from challenge studies to support this. Reactions may be more common in children with chronic urticaria and angioedema. Sulphites and natural salicylates may cause adverse reactions as they have an effect on the immune system similar to some medicines e.g. aspirin or ibuprofen. [PJ Turner, J Paeds Child health 2010]
Steroid creams are dangerous – Excessive steroid use will cause skin problems including thinning or changes in pigment. The other side effects of steroids such as mood changes or diabetes are only when large doses are ingested or injected. However, if eczema is not well controlled it can also lead to long term skin damage. The key is to use as little steroid cream as you need, and to make good use of other eczema treatments like emollients.
Egg yolk is ok, even if you are allergic to egg – Although most of the protein is in the egg white, you can still react to the yolk.
MMR and egg – MMR vaccine is made using egg, but there is no identifiable egg protein in the final product. Although in the past there was concern about allergic reactions, there is lots of experience of giving MMR to children with egg allergy. Current advice is that MMR should be given to everyone, unless you have had an anaphylactic reaction to the vaccine in the past.
Having a dog at home can cause chronic coughing and wheezing – If you are allergic to dogs, then yes, but in fact there is evidence that allergies including asthma are LESS common if you grow up in a home with a dog.
Allergy free dogs – There are lots of different dog allergens, and you get different ones in saliva and skin cells. You can be more allergic to some dogs than to others (it also means that allergy tests for dog are unreliable). Certain breeds are described as being hypoallergenic, because they shed less, but this is no guarantee that you won’t be allergic to it. Sometimes you can be OK with your own dog (due to regular contact) but allergic to other dogs.