Oral Food Challenges
Oral Food Challenges (OFC) for Children
An Oral Food Challenge (OFC) is a medical test to determine if a child is allergic to a specific food or can safely include it in their diet. This is done in a controlled environment to ensure safety and is typically recommended based on the child’s allergy history and test results, such as a skin prick test and serum-specific IgE.
What is a Food Challenge?
An OFC involves giving the child measured doses of a particular food, starting with a very small amount and gradually increasing every 15-20 minutes until either a reaction occurs or a standard portion size (top dose) is reached without any allergic response. The entire process takes about 4-5 hours.
Benefits of a Food Challenge:
The OFC helps confirm a child’s ability to tolerate specific foods:
- Passed Challenge (Successful): No allergic reaction occurs, allowing the food to be added to the diet.
- Failed Challenge (Unsuccessful): An allergic reaction occurs, meaning the food should continue to be avoided.
What to Expect on Challenge Day:
- The OFC is conducted in the hospital under close supervision. Before starting, the child’s vitals (temperature, blood pressure, and oxygen levels) are recorded. Up to five increasing doses of the food are given every 15-20 minutes, with the last dose being a typical portion size for the child’s age.
- If no reaction occurs, the child is monitored for an additional two hours before being discharged. If an allergic reaction happens, the test is stopped immediately, and appropriate treatment is provided.
After the Oral Food Challenge:
The outcome of the OFC will be discussed in detail.
- Negative Challenge: The child can safely eat the food regularly.
- Positive Challenge: The food should be avoided to prevent allergic reactions.
