In a major breakthrough, doctors can predict whether a newborn will develop allergies later in life, with the help of a simple blood test.

University of Adelaide immunology Professor Tony Ferrante from SA Pathology said, “I think it alleviates that (parental) worry to some degree, if we can say with 75 to 80 per cent accuracy whether their child is going to develop allergy or not”.

Though, a link had been identified three years ago between low levels of a certain protein in newborns and a high risk of allergies. Now the dangerously low proteins can be identified with a simple test.

Professor Ferrante shared that if pregnant women are given fish oil supplements, they can protect against allergy in the newborn, as they raise the level of important protein. But whether these supplements can help a baby after it comes out of the womb is still not known.

The test should be developed with the help of funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council. This way, it can be used on a routine basis, in hospitals across Australia.

Professor Ferrante, opined that the test will be readily available in the next two or three years. Kerry Martin from Vale Park shared that she would take the test if she plans for a second baby, as she faced difficulties with her first son Jake’s allergies.