Value of skin testing children with a family history of food allergy before ingestion of suspect food allergens

Background A family history of food allergy can cause anxiety in parents. This may prevent food introduction in their children. Current guidelines recommend skin testing only when there is a reaction to a food in that specific patient. When there is a family history of food allergy, parents frequently ask their physicians for food testing of their children prior to introduction of specific foods. We conducted this study to determine whether allergy skin testing reduces anxiety levels in parents thereby leading to food introduction.