Is your baby starting solid foods? You might be wondering if it's safe to give eggs, peanuts and other allergens.
The short answer: Yes, it's actually recommended. Recent research shows that early introduction of allergens can help prevent food allergies.
Why Introduce Allergens Early?
Parents used to be advised to delay allergenic foods. That has changed.
The groundbreaking LEAP study from 2015 showed that children who received peanut products early had an 81% lower risk of peanut allergy. The results were so clear that the recommendations were completely reversed.
Today, the Norwegian Health Directorate recommends that all infants should be given allergenic foods during their first year of life. The PreventADALL study from Oslo University Hospital confirms that early introduction from 3-4 months of age is safe and can prevent food allergies.
What do current guidelines say? The Norwegian Health Directorate recommends that all infants, including those with a family history of allergies, should be introduced to allergenic foods during their first year. Tasting portions can be given from 4-6 months of age.
The 8 Most Common Baby Allergens
These foods account for the majority of allergic reactions in young children:
- Eggs - The most common allergen in infants
- Cow's milk/dairy - Cheese, yogurt and cow's milk in cooking from 10 months, cow's milk as a drink from 12 months
- Peanuts - Give as peanut butter, never whole nuts (choking hazard)
- Tree nuts - Hazelnuts, cashews, walnuts - always ground or as butter
- Wheat/gluten - Often introduced via porridge (soak grains for better iron absorption)
- Fish - Common in Nordic diets, give cooked and mashed fish
- Shellfish - Shrimp, crab, lobster
- Soy - Found in many processed foods