If you are the parent of a child that you suspect has allergies, then you are going to need to make sure that you take him or her in for allergy testing in order to be sure that you can provide an adequate level of care. However, allergy testing, especially scratch tests, can be scary for a child. Here are some tips for preparing your child for the testing so that it goes as smoothly as possible.

1. Remember That Testing Has Gotten Less Intensive

Some parents might remember that they had to get multiple injections and have a ton of blood drawn when they had their allergies tested. The good news is that this is no longer the case. Before you talk to your child about what's going to happen at the allergist's office, talk to your allergist and ask about the exact procedure. Your memories are likely not going to be in sync with what's going to happen when you go to the allergist in the twenty-first century. 

2. Consider Simply Telling Your Child It's a Doctor's Appointment

If your child has mild anxiety about doctors, you might make his or her anxiety worse if you tell him or her that he or she is going to a special type of doctor. Instead, simply tell your child that he or she is going to the doctor. This is especially helpful if you talked to your allergist and found out that your child only needs a pinprick or two and a tiny amount of blood drawn. This will help keep your child's anxiety under control. 

If, on the other hand, your child is going to feel better if he or she knows exactly what is going on, go to the library and pick up some children's books about allergies. This will help give your child the context that he or she needs to make sense of the appointment.

3. Have Antihistamines on Hand

Make sure that you have antihistamines on hand in order to help your child deal with the itching that might accompany a skin-prick test that is positive. However, be sure that your child hasn't taken any allergy medication or antihistamines for a few days before the testing or else you might skew the results and render them inaccurate.

For more information, talk to your allergist. He or she will be able to suggest some books for your child to read about allergies if he or she is especially curious.