Page 19 - Community Newspapers 6369

How to Best Avoid a Food Allergy

Yoram Padeh, M.D.

As an Allergist, a common age of 5-years-old. The results were
question I get asked by parents is striking. The chance of developing
"When can I start feeding my child an allergy to peanuts was significantly
foods which may cause allergies?" higher in the group of children who
In the past, the answer doctors avoided peanuts than the group that
provided was to avoid certain foods ate them.
until a certain age as this provided Even more significant was that
the best way to avoid food allergies. within the group of children assigned and from ABAI-certified Allergists
Meanwhile, this answer by doctors to eat peanuts, the children who currently state that children should
was borne more out of fear than passed a peanut challenge (for safety begin eating all foods from the age
scientific data. We now know that within the study) and then continued of 4-months-old to 6-months-old.
early introduction of foods to infants to eat peanuts had no reported Of course, new foods should be
is the best way to avoid food allergies. incidence of peanut allergy. The only introduced in small amounts to start
The LEAP study, a recent study children in this group (assigned to and only one new food should be
published in February 2015 in the eat peanuts) who "became" allergic introduced per week. If a child does
New England Journal of Medicine, were those who were already allergic develop a reaction to a food, then this
proves just that. Over 600 children at the start of the study. So the food should be avoided for the time
ages 4-months-old to 11-months-old conclusion of this study is quite clear: being and further advise should be
who were already allergic to eggs, had the best way to avoid a food allergy sought from an Allergist.
eczema (an allergic skin condition), is to begin eating the food from an
or both, were randomly assigned to early age and continue. To make an appointment to see myself
either eat peanuts (foods containing The guidelines of the Ameri- or one of our other Allergists, call our
peanuts) or avoid them, until the can Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) office or visit www.allergweb.com.
Asthma & Allergy- Inspire.qxp_Layout 1 6/20/18 1:25 PM Page 1

allergyweb.com

ALLERGIC RHINITIS
ASTHMA
SINUSITIS
FOOD ALLERGY
URTICARIA
ATOPIC DERMATITIS
CHRONIC COUGH
ANAPHYLAXIS
DRUG ALLERGY
RECURRENT INFECTIONS
INSECT ALLERGY
CONTACT DERMATITIS

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