Along with the excitement that comes with introducing solid foods, may come concerns about whether baby will be allergic to some foods. There is no definite way to tell if baby will be allergic to a specific food, even if there is a family history.
The good news is that by knowing the common food allergens and the signs and symptoms of allergic reactions, you can minimize the risk for your baby.
A food allergy is an immune system response that happens soon after eating a certain, normally harmless food. Food allergies can be mild or severe. Allergic reactions can include itchy skin rashes and hives, breathing problems, wheezing, vomiting, diarrhea and loss of consciousness, depending on the severity. Severe reactions are called anaphylaxis and require immediate medical attention.
According to Food Allergy Research and Education, the following 9 foods are responsible for 90 percent of all food allergies:
If your baby does have a reaction to food, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s due to an allergy. Food can cause other reactions and illnesses which can be easily mistaken for an allergic reaction.
Some of these reactions include:
Food sensitivity can sometimes be confused for food allergy as well. Symptoms caused by food allergies develop soon after consuming the food while symptoms of food intolerance can be immediate or occur 12 to 24 hours after food is consumed. Symptoms of food intolerance can include headache, sweating, diarrhea and breathing problems.
Chemicals such as dyes and preservatives can sometimes cause reactions which can be mistaken for a food allergy. While it is common for children to be sensitive to these types of ingredients, it is rare to be allergic to them.
A food allergy reaction typically occurs shortly after a food is eaten. You should lookout for the following signs and symptoms:
Studies show starting out life with a microbiome can ensure your child has a robust immune system, reducing the risk of allergy.
When first starting out with solid foods it’s a good idea to introduce new foods slowly and keep a food log to keep track of what baby is eating in order to identify the cause of potential reactions. Make sure you are only introducing one type of food allergen at a time so if baby does produce a reaction you are easily able to determine the culprit.
Although you may feel apprehensive about introducing baby to common food allergens, research suggests that introducing them as early as possible is beneficial. The risk of developing a peanut allergy appears to be much lower in babies who had peanut introduced at about 6 months of age versus those who were exposed later.
There is no definite way to tell if baby will be allergic to a specific food, but you can help reduce the risks. Speak with your healthcare professional about introducing potential allergens at the right time, know the signs and symptoms of allergy and keep a food log when starting solids with your baby.
Disclaimer: The information provided is the opinion of Good Feeding, it has not been evaluated by healthcare professionals, and is for educational purposes only. Before starting any new foods or feeding practices, please consult your baby's healthcare professional.
As parents, we all want to do what's best for our babies, infants, and children. So, it can be more than a little concerning with the news that our family's youngest members could be at risk from the very thing meant to nurture us all – food.
4 months of age signals the start of an exciting window of opportunity, that if taken advantage of has the ability to not only transform your parenting journey (and family mealtimes) going forward, but more importantly, your child’s health and wellness potentials for life. 4 months marks the important opportunity to start ‘Flavour Training’!
In the medical community, there's a clear consensus on when infants should begin complementary feeding: at 6 months old. But despite the AAP, ACOG, AAFP and WHO recommendations being very clear about this timeline, parents often start much earlier.
The primary reason that official guidelines push for this 6 month mark is that very early introduction of complementary foods has been shown to reduce breastfeeding's overall duration. The medical community also holds concerns that introducing solids prior to the age of 6 months could increase the risk of choking and aspiration, lead to diarrhea and poor gut health and contribute to the onset of certain chronic diseases later in life, including diabetes and celiac disease.
So why is there so much confusion over this?
Starting solids poses such a challenge because we’re not only trying to sort through all of the available information and opinions on the topic, but also fit a brand new feeding and food preparation routine into our already busy lives. And, in the hustle to get this done, we often forget the most important element of introducing our children to food: Helping them foster a healthy relationship with food for life.