{"id":18713,"date":"2024-08-19T21:32:07","date_gmt":"2024-08-20T02:32:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=18713"},"modified":"2025-06-19T09:16:25","modified_gmt":"2025-06-19T14:16:25","slug":"how-to-introduce-your-baby-to-the-big-allergen-foods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/how-to-introduce-your-baby-to-the-big-allergen-foods\/","title":{"rendered":"Introducing your baby to allergens"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many parents often wonder when the best time is to introduce their baby to food that may have a high risk of causing an allergic reaction.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know more and more that the earlier introduction to those high allergen foods is beneficial and protective against developing food allergies,\u201d said Michael Endris, MD<\/a>, a pediatrician at OSF HealthCare.<\/p>\n

Food allergies in infants have increased in recent years. About 8% of children in the United States have a food allergy according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Who\u2019s at risk of a reaction?<\/h2>\n

Any baby can have an allergic reaction to any food.<\/p>\n

Babies with a family history of food allergies, a prior food allergy themselves or those with eczema can be at higher risk of developing food allergies. You can talk with your pediatrician on how to safely incorporate these foods into your baby\u2019s diet.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve already discovered that your baby is allergic to a certain food, they may be at higher risk of having an allergic reaction to other foods.<\/p>\n

“Infants at higher risk could have testing done with their pediatrician or an allergist to help determine how to safely incorporate high allergen foods, like peanuts. I still don’t recommend eating peanut butter in the emergency department parking lot,\u201d Dr. Endris said.<\/p>\n

Common food allergies<\/h2>\n

There are more than 160 foods that cause allergic reactions in people.<\/p>\n

However, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)<\/a>, \u201cThe Big 9\u201d are the most common food allergies. They include milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese nine foods, and any ingredient that contains protein derived from one or more of them, are designated as \u2018major food allergens,\u2019\u201d the USDA described.<\/p>\n

Since these nine are the most common allergens, food labels must have a clear warning on any food that contains any of The Big 9.<\/p>\n

When to introduce baby to allergens<\/h2>\n

Talk to your baby\u2019s pediatrician about when the best time is to start your baby on solids. Many babies start to hit important milestones<\/a> around 4 to 6 months old, including being able to hold up their head.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery child is going to be a little different, but usually in that 4-6-month range is a good time to introduce those foods.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s when we can start to offer a variety of different foods rich with pur\u00e9ed meat and high allergen things,\u201d Dr. Endris said.<\/p>\n

How to introduce allergens<\/h2>\n

When introducing any new food \u2013 and especially high allergen foods \u2013 it\u2019s good to keep things as simple as possible. If they have a reaction, you want to know exactly which food triggered it.<\/p>\n

Be patient. It can be messy. It can be helpful to nurse or feed a bit of a bottle, have a few small spoonfuls, then finish a bottle to make sure they don’t cry from hunger. But stop when they seem full, like turning away or crying. Don’t force eating.<\/p>\n

Here are some other helpful tips for introducing allergen foods:<\/p>\n

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Need a pediatrician?<\/p>\n

Find one near you<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n