Food Allergy Challenges & Supervised Feeds in Birmingham

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We understand how challenging it can be to navigate food allergies, especially when tests and symptoms leave you uncertain. That's why we offer private, same-day, and next-day appointments for allergy consultations that offer oral food challenges and supervised feeds, giving your child the care they need quickly and without the need for a GP referral. Our expert allergy specialists provide a safe and supportive environment to help identify food allergies and offer peace of mind for families.

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How We Can Help

An Oral Food Challenge is a proven, reliable method used by allergy specialists to determine whether your child has a food allergy. It is often recommended when:

Allergy tests (such as skin or blood tests) are unclear, and your child’s symptoms suggest a potential food allergy.
You are monitoring whether your child has outgrown a food allergy.
A positive allergy test has indicated a potential food allergy, but your child has never eaten the suspected food.

By conducting a controlled, supervised oral food challenge, we can help clarify whether your child’s symptoms are related to a specific food, offering you critical insight into their health and safety.

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Pricing

ALEX Allergy Component Test

£550

New Allergy Consultation

£295

(45 min)

Allergy Follow Up Consultation

£200

Skin Prick Allergy Testing

£150

Once an initial allergy consultation has taken place, our specialist will be able to assess the need for an oral food challenge. Please note: an oral food challenge cannot take place without a consultation first.

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All You Need to Know About Oral Food Challenges

If your child is scheduled for an oral food challenge, this guide will help you understand what to expect and how to prepare. An oral food challenge is a carefully supervised test performed by allergy specialists to confirm or rule out food allergies.

Here's what you need to know:

An oral food challenge is a diagnostic test that helps:

Confirm a suspected food allergy when other tests (like skin or blood tests) are uncertain.
Check if a child has outgrown a previous food allergy.
Determine if a child has developed a food allergy, especially when they've never eaten the food in question.

The challenge will take place in our medical clinic on Francis Road, Birmingham, where trained staff and necessary medical equipment are available. Allergy specialists will closely monitor your child throughout the process to ensure their safety.

Initial Check-Up: Upon arrival, your child will have their vital signs checked (blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature).
Skin Prick test: This may be repeated if your child has not had one recently and will include a skin prick test to the actual food to be challenged itself.
Food Administration: The food being tested will be given in very small amounts. For younger children, this will be in a form they can easily eat, like a purée or liquid.
Close Monitoring: After each dose, your child will be observed for any allergic reactions (such as swelling, rashes, or difficulty breathing). It's important to report any unusual feelings your child experiences, like itching or tingling.
Reassurance: The medical team will be there to answer any questions and provide reassurance throughout the process.

The duration of the challenge can vary, typically lasting several hours, depending on the food being tested and the monitoring requirements. Be prepared for the test to run longer than expected.

Ensure Your Child is Healthy: Your child should be well on the day of the challenge. Minor illnesses like a cold or fever may require rescheduling.
Control Asthma: If your child has asthma, it must be well-managed. Any asthma symptoms may lead to postponing the test.
Bring Medications: Bring any allergy medications your child normally uses, although emergency medications will be available at the clinic. You will be asked not to use any antihistamines for five days before the challenge.

We will let you know everything to bring on the day. If the clinic cannot provide the food for the challenge, you'll need to bring it with you. And, we encourage parents to bring a change of clothes and extra diapers for infants. Favourite toys, books, a tablet or blankets can help keep your child calm and entertained during the wait.

While allergic reactions during an Oral food challenge are uncommon, the medical staff will monitor your child closely throughout the process. If a reaction occurs, treatment will be provided immediately, and the severity of the reaction will guide the response. Treatments can range from mild interventions (for things like a rash) and very rarely more serious measures if needed.

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Meet Our Allergy Specialist

Dr Tom Dawson is a highly skilled paediatric consultant with over 20 years of experience in allergy care. He specialises in diagnosing and managing food allergies, asthma, eczema, and other allergic conditions. Dr Dawson developed the paediatric allergy service in Worcester, where he pioneered diagnostic allergy testing and immunotherapy treatments, including food and drug challenges.

He holds an MSc in Allergy from Imperial College London and has contributed to research, academic journals, and international conferences. Dr Dawson is the chair of the Midlands Paediatric Allergy Group and plays an active role in national committees, including the BRIT registry for immunotherapy and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health's allergy standards group.

With his extensive clinical expertise and commitment to advancing allergy care, Dr Dawson is dedicated to providing the best possible outcomes for children with allergies.

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Why Choose Us

We provide a compassionate and experienced approach to food allergy testing.

Here’s why families choose us for their food allergy challenges:

Same-Day & Next-Day Appointments: We understand the urgency of food allergy concerns and offer fast access to appointments, so you don’t have to wait weeks for answers.
No GP Referral Needed: You can book directly without needing a referral, making the process quicker and more convenient for your family.
Experienced Specialists: Our team is led by Dr Tom Dawson, a leading paediatric allergy consultant with over 20 years of experience in allergy care.
Comprehensive Care: We offer a full range of allergy services, including consultations, tests, and immunotherapy, providing a holistic approach to your child’s health.

What Our Patients Say About Us

402 Total Reviews

Average Rating 4.4

Great, professional service as always at Midland Health.

T F | 28th Sep 2025

Midland Health

Dr. Pav Dhesi is really amazing and caring :)

Cecília Álvares | 21st Sep 2025

Midland Health

Thank you Dr Rupa Parmar you have been an amazing attentive person and I feel comfortable to discuss matters with you in your clinic and feel you are very knowledgeable and can provide solutions for my needs that I’ve come...

Pammy Bains | 21st Sep 2025

Midland Health

Fantastic!! Efficient service talking through process made my son feel comfortable most of all cleaned out his ears safely and to the best of ability.

Saima SARWAR | 18th Sep 2025

Midland Health

Second time here, all the staff are lovely and felt very welcomed at reception by Dia And health care assistants Vee Emily and Jo

Jaycoxhair | 9th Sep 2025

Midland Health

I saw Dr Sam Smith (gastroenterologist) at this practice. The information on the website was clear and helpful and making an appointment was easy.The practice is nice and modern and the admin staff were polite, kind and helpful, both on...

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Midland Health

This has been the best service I have received in my life. I am so grateful for the support I’ve gotten, it has been life saving. Thank you again !

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Midland Health

Have used the services of Midland Health in two of their sites as I needed a Medical examinantion (and innoculations) to support a work permit application. The process has taken approximately 10 weeks fdrom start to finish and at all...

Sean OB | 26th Aug 2025

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I had an appointment with Ms Fidan Bayli and was very pleased with the experience. She was very welcoming and gentle, and the examination never felt uncomfortable or rushed. I could truly feel her professionalism throughout the consultation. She gave...

Анна Гаджиева | 19th Aug 2025

Midland Health

Had a excellent service top notch I recommended anyone ear wax removal

Ahmed Mohamed | 15th Aug 2025

Midland Health

I have had two appointments with Dr Sam Smith, Gastroenterology and have been very happy with with my treatment and treatment plan, he was friendly and approachable which made me more comfortable to discuss any concerns. Overall very informative which has...

Romaine Sumner | 14th Aug 2025

Midland Health

We recently saw Dr Prasad Nagakumar for a clinic appointment for our daughter. He was very professional and empathetic and listened to all our concerns and answered all our questions. The staff at Midland Health in Edgbaston clinic were fantastic...

Sally El-Ghazali | 12th Aug 2025

Midland Health

I want to say a massive thank you to Dr Pav Hare for her outstanding service. I came in for an appointment, and she instantly put me at ease and started gathering an extensive history and my current concerns. Throughout...

Sahil | 9th Aug 2025

Midland Health

Highly recommend Dr Kudlur. Excellent service and prompt diagnosis. He has been brilliant at articulating the problem in a way that is easy to understand and helpful in creating tools to best manage my condition. I have seen vast improvement...

Angus | 31st Jul 2025

Midland Health

*I recently had a consultation with Dr. Dawson for my 4-month-old daughter, and I couldn’t be more grateful.** He is a highly qualified and understanding pediatrician, with a wonderfully caring approach to little ones. My baby was calm and relaxed...

Lesya Fedorovych | 28th Jul 2025

Midland Health

I recently attended Midland Health for a full Health Assessment/Medical Examination required for work purposes, and I couldn't be more impressed with the service I received.Dr. Pav Dhesi (GP) was fantastic—she was attentive, thorough, and took the time to listen...

Sabrina A. Said | 18th Jun 2025

Midland Health

Throughout multiple experiences over the past few months, the service has been consistently excellent. Appointment availability is remarkable – I'm always seen almost immediately, typically within a day or two at most.The GPs and consultants provide genuinely attentive care, listen...

Sibylle | 5th Jun 2025

Midland Health

Excellent doctor sam

time lapse | 30th May 2025

Midland Health

Midland Health has quite literally changed the course of my life.After years of struggling without answers, I finally took the step to get assessed for ADHD and ASD — and choosing Midland Health was the best decision I could have...

Unknown Reviewer | 27th May 2025

Midland Health

We visited Midland Health last week for some peadiatric blood tests. I had read some of the negative reviews posted previously so was a little hesitant, however from our experience it could not have been any better.We were greeted on...

Melanie Lovegrove | 27th May 2025

Midland Health

We are currently seeing Dr Rupa Parmar who has written up a personalised immunisation schedule for our baby daughter. Dr Parmar is excellent she's professional, listens, offers advice and genuinely cares. We are really pleased with the service we have...

Ellie Steer | 15th May 2025

Midland Health

We took our 4 month old daughter due to rash from suspected allergies, as NHS GP appointment did not lead to answers/ referrals. An appointment was available for two days later at Midland Health. Her allergies were confirmed in one...

Laura Bains | 4th May 2025

Midland Health

I had waited years on the NHS regarding my mild tongue tie. I had a frenectomy carried out by The NHS Coventry Hospital their maxilliofacial department, which was a bit of a fight to get as it seemed they considered...

Tasneem Abrahams | 29th Apr 2025

Midland Health

Excellent, service Dr Kudlur was very kind and knowledgable and didn’t interrupt me (Which I think would have been reasonable as I overran our time!)

Tom Owens | 23rd Apr 2025

Midland Health

From my personal experience, I am so grateful to be in a position where I was able to book a private assessment for diagnosing my ADHD with Dr Kudlur.Due to my circumstances, this prognosis required immediate action, whereas the NHS...

Jordan | 23rd Apr 2025

Midland Health

Mine experience was very good 👍. Dr very nice and polite. She checked my son very well and he improved .

Sidra Ahmed | 15th Apr 2025

Midland Health

Dr Naganna and the other members of the team were excellent when we attended with our daughter. They were thorough and answered all our questions. An excellent team and an excellent location

Kashini Andrew | 12th Apr 2025

Midland Health

I’ve had two treatments so far with Emma Conway, just want to say she is absolutely brilliant - still on the journey to achieve my results but she really makes an effort and cares, she provides great customer service even...

Saira M | 7th Apr 2025

Midland Health

Received excellent and consistent support with no issues and I recommend the service fully.

Callum Peters | 30th Mar 2025

Midland Health

Yes I was happy with my consultation

Sue Gardner | 28th Mar 2025

Midland Health

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Our Allergy Clinic in Birmingham

Located in the heart of Birmingham, our clinic on Francis Road is a welcoming, professional environment designed to make your visit as comfortable as possible. Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and staffed by expert allergists and nurses, we ensure your child receives the highest standard of care.

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FAQ

Food allergen challenges, also known as oral food challenges, are tests performed under medical supervision to determine if a specific food causes an allergic reaction. Small, controlled amounts of the suspected food are given, and the child is monitored closely for any signs of an allergic response.

This is a very low-risk challenge that some parents might do at home, but others may feel too anxious. Allergy testing will have already been done and will be negative, and the child will usually have no medical history of having reacted to these foods. This may be in a child with other allergies, e.g. peanut allergy, but has not had exposure to other nuts or perhaps where a parent has a nut allergy and does not want to be exposed. Up to three allergens are given in quick succession or mixed, depending on the child’s age, followed by an observation period. Occasionally, some parents will request this during weaning.

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