How to avoid food allergies

Starting solid foods for your baby is an exciting step for parents. However, this raises many questions and concerns, especially regarding food allergies. What are the most common food allergies in children? How do you avoid them?

New research has shown that eating multiple foods together is safe and may help the immune system reduce the risk of food allergies, but more research is needed. Check with your doctor to find out what's best for your child.

Gradually start identifying food allergies

It is very important to introduce your baby to new foods gradually, one at a time, with food allergies. Otherwise, parents may have trouble associating an allergy with a specific new product. For example, if you give your child three new foods on the same day and they develop an allergic reaction, you won't know which food caused it.

The type of food or the order in which the foods are introduced is not really an issue as long as the foods you offer are healthy and well balanced for the baby. Every time you introduce a new food, you should wait three to five days before adding another new item to the menu. Don't rule out other foods your child eats during this time; you already know they are safe because the child has not had any food reactions so far. Don't add anything new.

Most Allergenic Foods

With any new food, you need to be on the lookout for any allergic reactions. There are over 160 allergenic foods; some foods may be more allergenic than others. The following eight foods and food groups are known to cause allergic reactions in 90% of cases.

Cow's milk
Eggs
Peanuts
Tree nuts (such as walnuts or almonds)
Fish
Shellfish
Soy
Wheat

There is no evidence that waiting until the child is older prevents food allergies. If you think your child is having an allergic reaction to food, such as diarrhea, rash, or vomiting, talk to your child's doctor about the best diet choices.

A few months after you start eating solid foods, your baby's daily diet should include a variety of foods such as breast milk, formula, or both; meat; grain; vegetables; fruit; eggs; and fish.

Food allergy symptoms to look out for in your child

Symptoms of a food allergy usually appear very soon after eating, from a few minutes to a few hours. If you are introducing a new food to your child, look for the following symptoms:

Hives or welts
Flushed skin or rash
Face, tongue, or lip swelling
Vomiting and/or diarrhea
Coughing or wheezing
Difficulty breathing
Loss of consciousness

Severe food allergy symptoms

Severe allergic reactions can be fatal very quickly. If your child has trouble breathing/wheezing, swelling of the face/lips, or severe vomiting or diarrhea after eating, call the emergency room. You can tell your pediatrician later.

How to manage mild food allergies in babies

If you see mild symptoms such as hives or a rash, see your pediatrician for further evaluation. Your doctor may refer you to an allergist (allergist) who will ask further questions and perform a physical examination. Allergies may order diagnostic tests such as:

Skin test. This test involves applying liquid extracts of food allergens to your child's forearm or back, pricking the skin, and waiting for red dots to form for 15 minutes. A positive food test only shows that your child may be sensitive to that food.
Blood tests to check blood for IgE antibodies to certain foods.

Remember that although a child's initial allergic reaction to a new food may be mild, it may worsen with subsequent exposures. Talk to your pediatrician about any food allergy symptoms your child has.

Some allergies go away with time. Allergies to eggs and milk often disappear as children get older, but allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, and shellfish tend to persist.

The family food-allergy connection

If there is a food allergy in the family, your child is also at an increased risk of developing an allergy, although this does not have to be the case. If you have an allergy, there is a 50/50 chance that you have one.

It is best to introduce the 8 allergens gradually, one to two weeks apart, so you can recognize if an allergy is developing.

Protecting your baby against food allergies

Experts now recommend exposing your child to potential allergens as early as possible. So this step may actually help prevent him from developing an allergy to these foods.

Breastfeeding a baby between 4 and 6 months of age is the best way to prevent milk allergy. Remember that breast milk or formula contains more nutrients. When you start introducing whole milk, you should do so under the supervision of a physician. Yogurt and soft cheeses are good because the proteins in these dairy products are broken down and less likely to cause stomach problems.

In the case of infants at high risk of allergy, peanuts should be introduced at 4 to 6 months of age. Babies most at risk of developing a peanut allergy are those with eczema or an egg allergy, or both. Initially, it was thought that introducing a child to food at an older age could make reactions more manageable.

Other potential allergens, such as nuts and fish, should be introduced some time later when introducing solid foods to the baby, between 6 and 9 months.

You must wait at least 1 year (some experts say 2 years) to introduce honey, which can cause a potentially serious illness called infant botulism. Ask your pediatrician for advice.