Pediatric Allergy Testing and Diagnostics provides a comprehensive overview of how clinicians assess suspected allergic disease using history, skin testing, serum IgE measurement, challenge testing, and emerging molecular tools. Accurate diagnosis is essential for avoiding unnecessary restrictions, guiding safe exposure, preventing severe reactions, and improving overall quality of life. This session is designed for clinicians seeking updated evidence, making an Pediatrics Conference a valuable resource for skill-building and interpretation.

The session highlights how age, comorbidities, timing of exposure, infection history, and environmental context influence test results. Participants will explore how to evaluate IgE-mediated and non-IgE-mediated pathways, distinguish sensitisation from clinical allergy, and balance diagnostic certainty with safety considerations. A major theme is implementing reliable pediatric allergy diagnostic pathways that emphasise stepwise evaluation, shared decision-making, clear communication of results, and collaboration with dietitians, schools, and families.

Case examples illustrate common challenges: discordant test results, borderline values, late-phase reactions, coexisting asthma or eczema, and food challenges in anxious families. The session reviews best practices for skin-prick testing, intradermal testing, serum IgE panels, component-resolved diagnostics, patch testing for contact allergy, and oral food challenges performed under supervision. Participants will also learn how to use decision thresholds, clinical algorithms, and risk assessment tools to avoid misdiagnosis and prevent overtreatment.

Emerging technologies—including molecular signatures, basophil activation testing, and epitope-specific tools—will be examined to clarify their current role and limitations. Attendees will reflect on ethical issues such as informed consent, overtesting, false positives, and confusion caused by direct-to-consumer testing.

By the end of the session, participants will feel confident integrating diagnostic information with clinical judgement to deliver accurate, safe, and family-centred allergy care.