A group of allergists recently recommended feeding an infant only breast milk for the first six months to help prevent food allergies. This suggestion comes after a joint research effort from the University of Milan Medical School in Italy and the Adverse Reactions to Foods Committee from the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.
If you suffer from allergies, chances are your children will as well. Avoiding regular milk and dairy products during the first six months of life can help infants who are at risk of developing food allergies. The research team said that introducing solid foods in the first four months of life can be connected to an increased risk of food allergies up to the age of ten.
After the first six months, pediatricians and allergists can help parents introduce solid foods on an individual basis. The allergists involved with the study suggest introducing new foods one at a time in small amounts. Make sure your child isn’t allergic to any of the components before offering mixed foods. Otherwise, your child may react to a mixed food without your knowing why.
If your child is at risk for developing food allergies, the University of Milan Medical School in Italy and the Adverse Reactions to Foods Committee from the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology recommend this schedule for food introductions:
- Birth-six months: breast milk only
- Twelve months: introduce dairy foods
- Twenty-four months: introduce hen’s eggs
- Thirty-six months: introduce peanuts, cashews, walnuts, fish, and seafood
Talk to your pediatrician and/or allergist about your child’s risk for developing food allergies, based on your family history. Food allergies can cause severe physical reactions like the development of hives and the swelling of soft tissue in the mouth and throat that may lead to difficulty breathing.