Introducing Allergenic Foods to your Baby
Introducing allergenic foods is a significant part of starting solids, and it can be quite stressful and anxiety-provoking for parents.
Previous guidelines suggested delaying the introduction of high-risk foods until after a baby’s first birthday. However, current research shows that early exposure is KEY. In fact, introducing allergenic foods between 6-12 months actually decreases your baby’s potential risk of having any kind of allergy.
While any food has the potential to cause an allergic reaction, there are 8 high-risk allergenic foods that make up 90% of all reactions in children. Eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, shellfish, soy, dairy, and wheat.
These foods are considered ‘allergenic foods’, because they tend to have a higher risk of reaction. It’s important that you don’t fear introducing these foods, because the majority of children are absolutely fine with them.
How to introduce the top allergenic foods to babies
Introduce each allergenic food one at a time.
Introduce them at the beginning of your baby’s longest awake period to monitor for reactions.
Don’t offer too much too soon. Begin with a small taste to start, wait 10 minutes for an immediate reaction. If they seem fine, offer a little more - never more than 2 tsp to begin with.
Wait 4 full days to monitor for a delayed reaction.
Repeat these steps with the same food, for a total of 3-5 exposures.
Move onto the next allergenic food (and if you have had no issues with the previous allergenic food, you can keep that in the diet).
If your baby has a suspected intolerance, rather than reintroducing another few times, trial some oral exposure next to the mouth, to see if any redness appears. If you’re suspecting a serious reaction like anaphylaxis, please don’t do this unless you have medical supervision.
Regular food introduction can happen in conjunction with allergenic foods
In fact, I recommend you begin with a bunch of low-allergenic foods that are high in fibre, to ensure your baby’s microbiome has been nourished with wholesome foods. Have you checked out my Top 12 First Foods freebie list? If not, I’d love you to try it! While early exposure to allergens is important, you want your baby's very first bite to be as stress-free and enjoyable as possible.
What are the signs of an allergic reaction?
Immediate reactions happen (as expected) immediately, but can also happen up to 2 hours after exposure. These reactions are more likely to be an allergy, and you should consult your GP before exposing your baby again.
If the reaction happens more than 2 hours later, and even up to a few days later, it’s likely to be an intolerance or sensitivity, and less likely to be a true allergy.
In my general practice, I see many more children with intolerances, and rarely do I see anaphylaxis (and this is good, as if you’re having anaphylaxis you shouldn’t be coming to me!). Babies having intolerances may get some reflux, or colic, or diarrhoea/constipation, or even skin rashes. These symptoms are rarely life threatening but they are inflammatory.
What to do if your baby has an allergic reaction
Children are considered to be at a particularly high-risk for developing food allergies if they have: a family history of food allergies, moderate to severe eczema, and/or asthma. It’s my personal observation that babies who have an allergic reaction without a family history of it, tend to have some underlying gut disturbances.
It often takes a few introductions before symptoms are detectable, as reactions can worsen with each subsequent exposures. It is important that you continue the exposure, to prime the immune system to deem that allergen as safe for the body (and therefore not mount a reaction).
What to do if your baby is having an allergic reaction
Stop the meal and immediately separate them from the food.
Wipe their hands & face to remove the allergen.
Stay with them & monitor for swelling/ lethargy/vomit quantity and contents (ie food, vs mucous, vs blood).
If symptoms are mild/moderate, contact your healthcare provider.
If symptoms are severe, call 000.
Do babies have food allergies forever?
Children can outgrow their allergies as their body and immune system matures, in particular their gut health.
Allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish generally persist lifelong. Only 10 - 20% of children who have these allergies will outgrow them.
Many outgrow allergies to milk, egg, wheat, or soy by their first birthday, but they can also persist until they are between 5-9 yrs. However, even these allergies tend to be resolving less frequently than in previous decades.
Intolerances are much more likely to be grown out of, especially with focused support on the vagus nerve, gut development, and short term reduction in exposure to the food causing the intolerance. (This is something I support people with regularly in my practice - babies, children and adults alike - and I can definitively say it is my experience that getting on top of these intolerances from the beginning is much easier than trying to heal it in an adult. And while I cannot fix all gut issues, or food intolerances etc, if you’re concerned your child has an intolerance I’d recommend you get them seen by your trusted health provider).
