Help Your Baby Avoid Allergies
Nobody wants babies to develop food allergies. How do you help prevent them?
One of the biggest tools to use is patience. Go slowly when introducing your baby to solid foods. The longer you wait before beginning, and the longer you wait between each food will increase your chances of avoiding allergies. Really!
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends waiting until "the middle of the baby's first year," to begin solid foods, which is six months, more or less. Introduce foods one at a time, waiting 2 to 4 days before starting another new food. This will let you see how the baby reacts to each food, and will help identify any allergies or intolerances.
Don't be concerned if the color and texture of your baby's stool changes during this time. These changes are normal and don't indicate a problem. Signs of an allergy or intolerance include a new skin rash, vomiting or diarrhea. If you think your baby is allergic to a food, eliminate it from his or her diet and see if the symptoms also disappear.
Though the vast majority of babies will never develop a single food allergy, many pediatricians recommend delaying the introduction of certain foods just in case. The following foods are the ones most likely to cause an allergic reaction. Unless otherwise directed by your pediatrician, be careful and wait until your baby is a year old before introducing:
- Wheat
- Milk (Milk products like yogurt and cheese are usually okay by 7 to 8 months. Wait until 1 year to give cow's milk for drinking.)
- Soy
- Egg whites (This is actually the most common food allergy. Wait until 1 year to introduce.)
- Citrus
- Fish and shellfish
- Nuts and peanuts (Because these foods cause the most severe allergic reactions, wait until at least 2 years old to introduce.)
Other foods that may not be well tolerated by younger babies or that may cause allergic reactions include chocolate, strawberries or other berries, tomatoes and any food that a baby's parent is allergic to.
If your baby has a strong family history of allergies (i.e. he or she has a parent or sibling with food allergies), talk to your pediatrician about when to introduce potentially allergenic foods, as it may be best to wait longer than the guidelines stated above.
