Kiddipedia
The thought of your baby having an allergic reaction is really scary, so it’s no wonder it’s one of the biggest worries parents have when they start their baby on solids.
It’s not yet known why food allergies occur, but we do know that there are things we can do when we introduce solids to lower the risk of food allergy developing.
So, how can we go about safely introducing ‘allergens’ (foods that cause allergies) and minimising the risk of food allergy?
Firstly, what are the most common food allergens?
Food allergy affects about 10% of babies in Australia and New Zealand (this decreases to 4-8% of children and about 2% of adults).
However, while some food allergies can be very serious, many of these are not sever and will disappear in time.
In Australia, the most common triggers of allergic reactions in childhood are eggs, peanuts, tree nuts and cow’s milk. Other less common but still major food allergens are fish and shellfish (most common in adulthood), sesame soy and wheat.
Most children outgrow cow’s milk, egg, soy and wheat allergies at some poin throughout childhood, however, peanut, tree nut, sesame and seafood allergies are usually lifelong.
When should allergens be introduced?
Up until fairly recently, parents were told to delay the introduction of allergenic foods until after 12 months to reduce the risk of allergies developing. But thanks to a lot of research over recent years, we now know that delaying the introduction of these foods doesn’t protect against allergies, and can in fact increase the risk.
Most allergens are also very nutritious as well as being common ingredients in many foods, so we don’t want unnecessarily exclude them from a baby’s diet at a time when nutrients requirements are high.
The advice now is to introduce allergenic foods at around months, when babies are developmentally ready for solids (not before months), and that all babies should have these foods by that age of 12 months.
This includes babies at risk of allergy (unless an allergy to that particular food has already been confirmed). Once allergens are introduced, continuing to give these foods regularly – around twice per week – helps maintain tolerance.
If breastfeeding, there is some evidence – although limited – to suggest that continuing to breastfeed while introducing solids may reduce the risk of allergies and offer some protection when new foods are introduced.
How should allergens be introduced?
Allergenic foods should be introduced a few days apart so that you can more easily identify any foods your baby reacts to. They can be introduced in any order you like.
It’s a good idea to write down which foods you’ve introduced as this can help you work out what the offending food was if your baby does have a reaction.
It can also be helpful to introduce new foods at breakfast or lunchtime so that you can monitor for any reactions throughout the day.
If your baby is at high risk of a food allergy, i.e. they have an existing food allergy or severe eczema, speak to your doctor about how to introduce allergens.
Never rub food on your baby’s skin as a way of testing for a food allergy. This will not help to identify a food allergy and can in fact increase the risk of an allergy to that food developing.
How to tell if your baby is allergic to a food
Some allergies happen quickly and are easy to pick up, for example, swelling of the face, hives, a runny nose or vomiting. Others may be delayed and less obvious such as eczema, reflux, poor growth, diarrhoea and constipation.
Many food allergies in children are not severe and will resolve themselves overtime, but some food allergies can be severe, causing life-threatening reactions known as anaphylaxis.
When monitoring for possible reactions, it’s important to bear in mind that the skin on your baby’s face is very sensitive and can be easily irritated by certain foods such as citrus, tomatoes and berries. These foods can cause redness on contact but this is not allergic reaction.
For more information on how to introduce food allergens or what to do if your baby has a reaction go to readysetgrownutrition.com, ASCIA guidelines on infant feeding and allergy prevention or preventallergies.org.au
Reference:
ASCIA Guidelines: Infa t Feeding and Allergy Prevention
Skye Swaney is an Accredited Practising Dietitian with over 16 years’ experience and a mother of two. She specialises in prenatal and paediatric nutrition and lives in Sydney, Australia.
