What to do to prevent food allergies in infants

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-10/cmaj-nrw101415.php

Public Release: 19-Oct-2015
New review: What to do to prevent food allergies in infants
Recent evidence supports early introduction of allergenic foods
Canadian Medical Association Journal

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"If parents ask how to prevent allergy in their children, our current advice is to introduce the allergenic foods at four to six months of age," write Drs. Elissa Abrams and Allan Becker, Department of Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba. "Once highly allergenic foods are introduced, regular exposure is important for maintenance of tolerance -- children should eat these foods on a regular basis."

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A recent randomized controlled trial -- the Learning Early About Peanut (LEAP) study -- found that introducing peanut early, rather than late, in high-risk children reduced the risk of food allergy by as much as 80%. However, children at high risk of peanut allergy may benefit from an allergist's evaluation before peanut introduction.

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To introduce new foods, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology recommends:

1. Introduce a new food every 3 to 5 days in an age-appropriate manner (to avoid choking).

2. Start with grains, yellow and orange vegetables and fruit.

3. Introduce one of the potentially allergenic foods, if well tolerated, in small amounts (e.g., cow's milk, soy, eggs)

4. Introduce highly allergenic foods at home.

5. Increase the quantity of food over several days.

"It has been well documented that avoidance of allergenic foods is not preventive of food allergy," write the authors. "In the newly released LEAP study, there is strong evidence that early introduction of peanut is in fact preventive.

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