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New parents worry about many things, but the American Academy of Pediatrics said that they could wipe off the list of worries of giving too much allergenic foods too early.
In fact, the pediatric group said that it was probably best to introduce foods like peanut butter when the children were around 6 months old.
"There is no reason to limit the early introduction to allergenic foods," said Dr. Frank Greer, co-author of a new clinical report published by the American Academy of Medicine. Pediatrics (AAP). He is Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Although experts have advised parents to avoid highly allergenic foods early, more recent research suggests that early exposure to these foods may be a better option.
The report says that mothers do not need to restrict their diet during pregnancy and badfeeding to try to prevent allergies.
The report recommends exclusive badfeeding for at least the first three to four months of life to help protect against eczema, an allergic skin condition. Breastfeeding for three or four months (even if it's not done exclusively) may also offer some protection against wheezing during the first two years of life and against asthma for an even longer period.
For parents using a formula, the AAP has good news for your portfolio. The use of expensive hydrolyzed baby formula does not seem to help prevent allergies. And this is true even in families with a history of allergies.
The most common foods that cause allergies include cow's milk, eggs, seafood, nuts, peanuts, wheat and soy, according to the PAA. As early as 2008, the AAP concluded that there was no convincing evidence that delaying the introduction of these foods would prevent allergies.
The new report highlights new studies that have shown that the early introduction of these foods can help prevent allergies. The report suggests introducing peanut protein at the age of 4 to 6 months. (Whole peanuts are not recommended as they are considered a choking hazard until the child is 4 years old.)
Immune system needs to be stressed
Dr. Jennifer Appleyard, Chief of Allergy and Immunology at Ascension St. John Hospital in Detroit, said, "The old idea was that the immune system was so disrupted in the first three years of his life that he could not handle allergic foods.Now we think the immune system should be stressed – let the kids get dirty, let them have pets, let them eat certain foods. -being that protecting them from everything is not such a good thing.
Greer explained that "allergies have only increased as we have become cleaner and cleaner, we do not bomb the human system with antigens". This means that the immune system does not have the ability to learn to react normally to substances that are not harmful, such as peanuts or pet dander.
Mr. Appleyard pointed out an important caveat contained in the new report: "The report indicates that the available data further limit the ability to draw definitive conclusions, so none of this is etched in stone" .
And it's important because parents of children with severe allergies may wonder if they could have done anything to prevent their children's allergies.
She said that parents should not feel guilty about children's allergies, especially when they followed the usual advice of the moment. And, even when kids get peanuts, eggs, or some other allergic food early, some develop an allergy.
"It is not because you introduce peanuts at any given time that your child will not have peanut allergy, which is what we currently think. And even if you can tolerate peanuts at 6 months or a year, you could still have a reaction later in life, "she warned.
The AAP stated that if children had severe eczema that required prescription treatments or known allergy to eggs, it might be considered to look for a peanut allergy before introducing foods based on 39; peanuts. In this same group of children, the introduction of peanut foods under the supervision of a health care provider is also another thing that can be considered, said the PAA.
But Greer said that in most cases, the tests were not necessary.
The report was published online on March 18 in Pediatrics.
Image credit: iStock
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