To help prevent food allergy, give your baby the common allergy causing foods before they turn one
Nip allergies in the Bub aims to provide parents and health professionals with information about how to feed babies the common allergy causing foods and how to manage eczema, based on current evidence, to support food allergy prevention.
It has been developed by the National Allergy Council and is based on the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) guidelines.
Common allergy causing foods
Cow’s Milk
Wheat
Soy
Peanut
Fish
Shellfish
Sesame
Tree Nuts
Egg
Why introduce food allergens before your baby is one?
Research shows that giving your baby the common allergy causing foods before they are one year of age can greatly reduce the risk of them developing an allergy to that food. Delaying the introduction of the common allergy causing foods does not prevent food allergy.
When your baby is ready at around 6 months, but not before 4 months, start to introduce first foods including peanut (such as smooth peanut butter/paste) and well-cooked egg. Once the food is introduced, make sure your baby eats that food at least twice a week, if your baby has not had an allergic reaction to that food.
Introduce the common allergy causing foods one at a time. By introducing only one common allergy causing food at each meal, it will make it easier to identify the problem food if an allergic reaction occurs.
Breastfeeding is recommended for the many benefits it provides to both mothers and babies. If you are breastfeeding, it is important to continue to breastfeed while you introduce solid foods to your baby.
Can you introduce common allergy causing foods to all babies before one year of age?
Yes you can. This advice is recommended for all babies, whether you have a family history of food allergy or not.
Babies with eczema have a higher chance of developing a food allergy, especially if the common allergy causing foods are not introduced before one year of age, so following this advice is even more important.
If your baby is allergic to a particular food, DO NOT feed your baby that food. If you think your baby has a food allergy, you should seek advice from your doctor. It is important that food allergies are confirmed by a doctor.
Is my child at increased risk of developing food allergy?
Some babies have a higher chance of developing a food allergy than others. Therefore, following the advice on this website is even more important for these babies to help reduce the chance of them developing a food allergy.
