Hi everyone. Someone posted a notice that you were discussing component testing so I wanted to give you our link: well they won't let me join or post our link. Please come to PEANUT ANAPHYLAXIS CURE on fb--the group. We are all about desensitization and new component testing. We have representatives from Thermo Fisher who are members and answer any questions they can. We have all the forms and links in our document section. Basically, I think you've covered most things in this discussion. If you have already seen an anaphylactic reaction, you don't need to know so much--unless you just want to know. You can bet they are positive to the most severe proteins--Ara h1, 2, 3 and in the U.S. they say 8. The most important thing no one has mentioned is that the IgE # does not correspond to the severity of the reaction. They could have a 2 and be anaphylactic (reaction to one or more of the high-risk proteins) and an 82 consuming handfuls a day without a reaction. (probably a non-high-risk protein). I would never do a skin test since Eli's test came back negative and he is actually anaphylactic with a 2minute window of opportunity to inject him with the epipen. He is now in maintenance phase of desensitization consuming 8 peanuts a day but still--if he were sick and we gave him the dose, he could have an ana. reaction. So component testing takes any guess work out. You can say to the teachers and/or family that you have TWO MINUTES and NOT IN MY HOUSE etc... Never leave home or even play in the backyard without an epipen--can you get back in the house within two minutes? It is sad that most doctors do not even know about component testing yet but most people do not even know about our food allergy epidemic yet or believe a peanut could kill you. When Eli was first diagnosed, I researched everything I could and found that researchers were using component testing. I was frustrated that the IgE could not give me the information I needed--what could? At the time, Pirllab was not offering tests to the public but all I did was ask and they were more than happy to accomodate. They weren't sure how to charge us but we worked it all out. Our doctor drew blood and mailed it to their lab. And we talked about how this information needs to be available to all parents with children who have food allergies because they need to know exactly what they are dealing with--- will they outgrow it? Are we overreacting? Some live for 18 years with only mild reactions then go on vacation and die in their parent's arms after eating a dessert cross-contaminated by peanuts. Had they know Ara h1 or 2 or 3 (maybe 8) was at work, they would have known that at any point the reaction could be deadly. Probably WOULD be potentially deadly and they needed that epipen!!! So now they have made the test available to the public and it is something that will eventually phase out the old blood tests I believe. What good are they now? You appear to be allergic but we really don't know if and when or how you might react. Well thanks for nothing basically--except INSPIRING me to live in absolute fear maybe without reason. And if it is the worse case, I can work myself to a place where a doctor can treat him and take the threat of death away. Information is power.