Chapter 4. Infant Health

Table 4.17. Percent of babies tested or examined for food allergy by each method by infant age1,2, among babies who were tested or examined during these periods

Infant Feeding Practices Study II

  Month 0-4 Month 5-9 Month 10-12
Parents' description of symptoms 79.6 82.6 76.3
A skin test 1.9 15.2 22.0
A blood test such as RAST, or CAP-RAST 3.7 13.0 32.2
An esophageal or intestinal study 9.3 6.5 6.8
Food elimination (withdrawal of the specific food to see if symptoms disappeared) 51.9 67.4 49.2
Food challenge (introduction of a specific food to see if symptoms reappeared) 14.8 15.2 22.0
Other (specify) 27.8 8.7 11.9
N 54 46 59

1Table is based on variables: M4C6A-G, M9C8A-G, MWC8A-G

 2Column percentages do not add up to 100% because mothers could choose all that apply