Suzanne - For us, the reaction to allergic foods is immediate and obvious,
and started when Alyssa was an infant, and getting mostly single ingredient
foods.  If she has a reaction now, I look for ingredients that have changed
in a "safe" brand, or contamination.  Always asking the question - what's
different about this meal from the others that are OK.  She hasn't had a
reaction for a long time, except to an intentional walnut test :(

Alyssa had a skin prick test which was very accurate for her, but the tests
are only guidelines, along with a food diary.  Eat simple basic foods, and
slowly add ingredients and complexity (which is generally how babies are
introduced to foods).

Laurie (and Alyssa, allergic to dairy, egg, peanuts and walnuts)

(the skin reaction to peanuts is all we have to go on right now - she's never
ingested one, fortunately!)

: learn about it.  My question is how do you know what foods are causing the
: allergic reaction.   If your child is sick after a meal, how do you know which
: food caused it?  Are there tests which pediatricians or allergists perform to
: determine, for example, an allergy to nuts or shellfish?
:
: TIA
: Suzanne