Breaking News: Federal Guidelines Shift on Peanut Introduction for Babies
federal health experts today released updated guidelines recommending early introduction of peanuts to infants, potentially reducing the risk of developing peanut allergies. The National Institute of Allergy adn Infectious Diseases’ guidance marks a critically important change from previous recommendations.
For years, parents were advised to delay introducing peanuts, particularly for infants with a family history of allergies, amid rising concerns about peanut allergy prevalence around 2000. however, recent research demonstrates a benefit to introducing peanut-containing foods as early as 4 to 6 months of age.
“Now we’re saying introduce peanut to your child as early as 4 to 6 months of life. and by doing so, it’s associated with a reduced likelihood of developing peanut allergy,” explained allergist Matthew Greenhawt of Children‘s Hospital Colorado, a contributor to the new guidelines.
Studies have shown that infants at high risk for peanut allergies-those with severe eczema or egg allergy-are less likely to develop the allergy when regularly given peanut-containing foods during their first year.
Hugh Sampson, a professor of pediatrics and allergy specialist at the Icahn School of Medicine at mount Sinai, noted that doctors are already adapting their practices. “We’ve taken the approach that if you have a child that has severe eczema or that has egg allergy,that we should try to introduce peanut preferably in the first four to six months of life.”
Though, the guidelines emphasize that high-risk infants should be evaluated by an allergy specialist before peanut introduction at home. Greenhawt assures parents the change is based on “very, very cutting-edge science” and is unlikely to be reversed.
