Diagnosing Allergies: Reliable Approaches to Testing

Allergy testing can confirm suspected allergies to foods, insects, and some medicines. However, their results must be considered holistically alongside a person’s clinical history. With a range of costly and often unproven methods available, it is essential that health professionals are well-informed. This session highlights reliable diagnostic approaches to identify and confirm an allergy.

Educators

Dean Tey 

Dean graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2001. He then pursued his passion in paediatrics, training at the Royal Children’s Hospital, where he subsequently subspecialised in the field of allergy and immunology. He is the editor of the current eighth edition of the Paediatric Handbook, a popular text used by many medical students and healthcare professionals. As a consultant at the Department of Allergy and Immunology, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Dean enjoys an active role in teaching medical students, junior training doctors, and general practitioners. He has research involvement with the probiotic and peanut oral immunotherapy (PPOIT) study and is an honorary fellow with the Gastro & Food Allergy Group (HealthNuts) at the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute. He is a member of the Centre for Food & Allergy Research (CFAR) and also a member of the Care Working Group for the National Allergy Strategy. Dean is passionate about delivering the best possible care for children with allergic disease. He believes in empowering patients and families through education. Dean has an interest in the areas of anaphylaxis, urticaria (hives), food allergies, eczema, asthma, allergic rhinitis (hayfever), insect sting allergy, antibiotic-allergy, and immunotherapy (desensitisation). When not at work, Dean enjoys spending time with friends and his family of three young energetic boys. He also enjoys travelling, walking his Pomeranian Tigger, photography, wine tasting, going to the gym, and playing basketball.