Allergies but negative skin test X 2?

Question

My daughter who is now eight was diagnosed as an infant with a milk protein allergy. Any milk ingredients or products make her break out in hives, a red face, runny nose, watery eyes, cold symptoms, a cough, an upset stomach, diarrhea, etc. Sometimes she has a combination of the symptoms and sometimes only one or two. Lactic acid gets her the most.

She went for a skin test and it came up negative. So her pediatrician suggested that we take her to Boston Children's Hospital to see an allergist. She also did a skin test. In both tests the hystamine control site did not bubble for some reason. In the second test the same thing happened, but the saline that was not supposed to bubble did. Could she be allergic even if it does not show up on the test?

She was off of all Benedryl and other meds for three weeks before her tests.

Answer 1

**Before addt'l info**
Did you keep her off her anti-histamine meds for a couple of days before the test?
If you didn't; that's the only reason I would think you wouldn't have a control reaction.
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After you additional info...
Did she take any antacid meds, any green tea or other thing that was herbal?
If the histamine control didn't work than all the results are not conclusive. Get back with the Allergist explain that you are concerned since the control didn't react and now you don't have any real results. Maybe they can help you identify what your daughter may have messed up the results.
Good luck.

Answer 2

The ingredients in skin tests usually are a concentrated extract of proteins or other key compounds in the allergen. Even though the skin tests use very potent concentrations, they don't always have all of the constituents present in real life. So, a person could be allergic to some other constituent besides protein, resulting in a negative test. You can perform your own test by putting a drop of milk on the skin, and making a tiny little pinprick with a sterile sewing needle, just enough to break the skin under the milk drop.