new & notable
Minimizing Food Allergies
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Babies Need Variety in Their Food
ll babies are unfortunately at risk for developing a food allergy. 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. Babies are not born with food allergies, they develop over time. 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. 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).
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chesapeakefamily.com NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
Delaying 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%. The latest USDA Guidelines recommend introducing your baby to commonly allergenic foods like peanuts, egg, cow milk products, tree nuts, wheat, crustacean shellfish, fish, and soy starting at 4-6 months. 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. To learn more watch our interview with Dr. Wendy Swanson, the Chief Medical Director of SpoonfulOne, leading communication and health translation to clinicians and parents to protect against the development of food allergies. https://www.chesapeakefamily.com/minimize-foodallergies-in-children/
