Penicillin Allergy Testing Clinic
Antibiotics in the penicillin family, such as Penicillin VK, Amoxicillin and Augmentin, are often the preferred treatments for many common childhood infections. They tend to have fewer side effects and cost less than other antibiotics. However, penicillin is also the most commonly reporting drug allergy.
Many people report having a penicillin allergy. However, only about 10% of these individuals are truly allergic to penicillin. The remaining 90% are not allergic and can safely take penicillin medicines.
What are symptoms of a true penicillin allergic reaction?
Some symptoms below, such as hives or diarrhea, can be simple side effects of antibiotics, but when any symptoms below begin within minutes to hours after the first dose of an antibiotic, it may be a sign of an allergic reaction (true penicillin allergy).
- Itchy skin, flushing, hives
- Swelling of hands & feet or skin around the eyes (angioedema)
- Itching, tearing red eyes
- Nasal congestion
- Tongue and/or lip swelling
- Throat tightness, hoarseness
- Stomach cramps, sudden diarrhea
- Cough, difficulty breathing/wheezing
- Dizziness, fainting, low blood pressure
- Anxiety, confusion
What causes confusion about penicillin allergy?
- Family history: Some people think they have a penicillin allergy because they have a close family member who is allergic to penicillin. However, penicillin allergies are not inherited.
- Side effects: Symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and yeast infections can be mistaken for allergic reactions but are common side effects of antibiotics and are not true allergies.
- Delayed rash: The viruses that cause colds in children can cause rashes. Sometime the virus interacts with the antibiotic in a child and can cause a rash. This usually doesn’t appear until several days after starting the antibiotic. These rashes can be mistaken for allergic reactions, even by medical professionals, but they are not caused by a “true” penicillin allergy which causes reactions within a few minutes to hours after starting the medication.
How do I know if my child has a true allergy to penicillin or not?
Details about your child’s previous reaction to an antibiotic may help your healthcare provider know whether your child had a “true” immediate-type allergic reaction, a delayed reaction (usually happens several days after starting penicillin) or experienced a side effect of the antibiotic (not an allergic reaction). If your child’s reaction was a side effect or a reported family history of penicillin allergy only, the allergy label can be removed from your child’s medical record without any testing.
After gathering this information, or if you child’s prior reaction is unknown, your healthcare provider may refer your child to our clinic for further evaluation/testing to see whether your child can be treated with a penicillin antibiotic again in the future or not. The specialist will review your child’s history with you to see how best to test your child for a penicillin allergy. Patients must be older than 12 months and not on any immune suppressing medicines to have antibiotic allergy testing done. All allergy/antihistamine medications must be stopped seven days before testing.
What is involved with penicillin allergy testing?
Penicillin allergy testing is done safely in a clinic setting with qualified healthcare providers present. Prior reaction information is obtained before scheduling the clinic visit. If your child had hives or a rash while on a penicillin before, your child would be given an oral dose of a penicillin and observed for 1-2 hours for any reaction. If your child previously had a serious reaction to a penicillin or if the specialist has concerns related to the type of reaction, your child may have a skin test followed by the oral penicillin. If your child does not react during the visit, they are unlikely to have a serious immediate reaction when they receive this antibiotic in the future. At the end of the visit, you will leave with clear written information about whether your child can or cannot take a penicillin in the future.