When can I safely introduce sensitive foods to my infant? I’m worried about accidentally giving my baby an allergy.
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Introducing a child to new foods with the possibility of a severe allergic reaction can be scary for parents. It was once thought that the best way to protect against food allergies was to wait until a child was at least three years old to start giving foods such as peanut butter.
However, studies have shown that delaying exposure to peanut butter can actually increase the likelihood of an allergy. According to the latest guidelines, if your child has no food allergies you can introduce small amounts of peanut butter to your child’s diet when you would normally start giving solid food (for most, around 6 months of age).
If your child has food allergies or severe eczema (a skin condition that is linked with allergies), exposure to peanut butter in the diet a little earlier, around 4-6 months, may help reduce the risk of developing a food allergy.
In this case, check with your child’s doctor first. You can always do some allergy testing before introducing peanut butter.
Keep in mind that sticky foods like peanut butter are a choking hazard. Be sure to thin it out with water or by mixing it with pureed fruit. And if you have questions or concerns about starting your baby on any new food, talk with your baby’s doctor.
If you have more questions about how to take care of your newborn baby, explore our resources here.
Tyler Sexton, M.D., is a physician specializing in pediatrics, a remarkable feat for someone who was born with Cerebral palsy, a condition often resulting in physical and mental disability, blindness, and seizures. From a young age, his steadfast determination and faith in God enabled him to achieve his goals in spite of numerous obstacles that included painful operations and therapy, setbacks, disappointments, and the low expectations of others. Tyler is also a motivational public speaker and a co-author with his mom of two books titled God Bless These Little Legs and No Such Thing as Can’t. Learn more about Tyler at his website, tylersexton.com.
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