Minimizing Food Allergies

BABIES NEED VARIETY IN THEIR FOOD

Babies are not born with food allergies, they develop over time. Food allergies in the United States have doubled every single decade for the last 30 years. New guidelines from the USDA and American Academy of Pediatrics hope to reduce the instances of allergies in children. While all babies are at risk of developing a food allergy, some of the most common high-risk factors include eczema, delaying the introduction of common allergens, presence of other food allergies, and family history. For example, babies with eczema are more than 600% more likely to develop a food allergy because broken skin (due to the eczema) are more likely to experience topical exposure to food products in the environment (peanut dust, etc.).

Introduce Allergens Early

Science has proven that the early introduction of common food allergens to babies reduces the instances of food allergies. Eggs, peanuts, hazelnuts and seafood can all be fed safely to babies beginning at four to six months. Other common allergenic foods include wheat, soy, cow milk products, tree nuts, and crustacean shellfish. If a child is allergic, the reaction will begin within two hours of eating the food. The goal is to get as many types of food into a baby’s digestive tract as early as possible to minimize food allergies. The guidelines also urge for a variety of complementary foods every day. Diet diversity is great for babies and is a key early habit in lifelong, healthy eating.

Important Steps to Take

By taking some simple-yet-important steps, USDA guidelines suggest that introducing common allergens regularly can help your baby from developing a food allergy. Food is best introduced to a baby by eating and entering their GI tract during early infancy (e.g., 4 to 6 months of age when a baby shows readiness for solid foods). • Don’t delay food introduction. Research shows that if a parent delays potential allergen introduction after a baby is 12 months, the baby’s risk of food allergy sensitization increases by up to 400%. If they wait until 18 months, the risk is up to 700%.

If you are worried your child might have food allergies, take this Allergy Quiz recommended by Dr. Wendy Swanson, Chief Medical Director of SpoonfulOne, a leading communication and health translation for clinicians and parents to protect against the development of food allergies. spoonfulone.com/pages/allergenquiz-landing