BABY FUEL: Filling Your Baby’s Tank with the Right Fuel
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A WORD ON ALLERGIES
Parents used to be told to wait months
or years before giving kids some foods
that tend to cause allergies like eggs,
peanuts, tree nuts and fish. There is no
proof that delaying these foods prevents
allergies. Experts now say that even high-
risk babies (babies from families with
allergies, asthma or eczema) can start
having regular pureed foods at four to six
months old.
If the baby has no signs of allergy with
these early foods, more can be introduced
one by one. These foods can even be the
ones most people are allergic to, like eggs,
fish, and peanut butter. Stay away from
whole nuts which could cause choking.
Cow’s milk should never be given to a
baby until after age one.
SAFE START
A baby can have an allergic reaction
the first time he or she tries a new
food. No one has really studied
the safest way to start a baby out
on these high-risk foods. The pros
suggest these tips for starting a high
risk baby out on the high-risk foods
mentioned above:
Have your baby try a taste
of these foods at home, not at
a day care or restaurant
If your baby shows no signs of an
allergic reaction, you can slowly give
him more in greater amounts
If your baby does show signs of
an allergy or a skin rash, talk to
your doctor before you try other
high-risk foods
If your baby has a brother or
sister with a food allergy, your
doctor may suggest an allergy
test before trying out that food.
DID YOU KNOW?
A child has a seven percent risk of a
peanut allergy if a brother or sister has it.
