If you’re a new parent, you’ve probably heard that introducing peanuts to your infant can prevent peanut allergies. If you haven’t tried it yet, you may be wondering if it’s risky or how and when to start.
The recommendations have been around for over a year and come from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Endorsed by allergy groups like the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the guidelines are the opposite of what pediatricians and allergists had been telling parents for many years. Many thought that delaying introduction of certain highly allergenic foods like peanuts would reduce the risk of developing allergy to that food. Now we know that advice was incorrect and probably led to an increase of food allergy in the population.
What has happened since the guidelines were introduced? Are physicians and parents following the guidelines and introducing peanuts to infants to prevent peanut allergy? A recent study published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, ACAAI’s scientific journal, suggests the recommendations are not being followed. One thousand pregnant women and 1,000 new moms were surveyed. The women were asked about their willingness to try early peanut introduction to prevent peanut allergies and whether they were familiar with the guidelines. More than half (53 percent) said that following the guidelines was of no or limited importance to them. Even more surprising was that 61 percent said they had no or minimal concerns about their child developing a food allergy. In fact, only 31 percent of those surveyed were willing to give their child peanut-containing foods before or around 6 months of age.
[See: The 5 Latest Poison Control Threats Kids Face.]
With food allergies on the rise and about 1 percent of the U.S. population having peanut allergy, allergists hope that parents will do everything possible to prevent their child from developing a peanut allergy. Campaigns such as Prevent Peanut Allergies from the National Peanut Board, ACAAI and the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team are helping get needed information to parents and physicians on why these new guidelines for prevention are so important. The campaign includes videos of real parents introducing their infants to peanuts and walks visitors through early introduction step by step. Because there’s still no cure for peanut allergy, it can be scary to give an infant a peanut-containing product. But knowing you might be able to prevent the risks associated with peanut allergy could ease your concerns.
There are three different recommendations for early introduction of peanut products for infants:
Infants with severe eczema, egg allergy or both.
— Check with your doctor before introducing peanuts at home.
— Your doctor may recommend that your baby undergo allergy testing, followed by supervised peanut product introduction if needed, before you introduce peanut-containing foods regularly at home.
— Once you start giving peanut products at home, it’s recommended to give 2 grams of peanut protein, three times per week.
[See: The 11 Most Dangerous Places in Your Home for Babies and Small Kids.]
Infants with mild to moderate eczema.
— Your doctor can tell you what “mild to moderate” eczema means and if it’s safe for you to introduce peanut products into your baby’s diet.
— For this group of infants, the new guidelines suggest starting to give peanut-containing foods around 6 months of age, after other solid foods have been tried.
— Peanut products should be given based on the family’s eating preferences and given regularly to your baby.
Infants with no eczema or food allergies
— Once a few foods are introduced, start giving your baby some peanut-containing foods.
— Continue with regular peanut product intake, based on the foods that your family likes and regularly eats.
[Read: How Do I Find the Best Allergist?]
It’s very important that parents understand that whole peanuts are a choking hazard and should never be introduced to infants. Talk with your pediatrician, family physician or board-certified allergist about early introduction of peanut for your infant.
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To Do or Not to Do: Feeding Infants Peanut Products originally appeared on usnews.com
