Baby Care: Baby Food Allergies
August 19, 2010 by Baby Tending
Filed under baby clothes
As the parent of a baby, one of the most important baby care activities you will ever do is feeding. However, many parents find out the risk of baby food allergies is a big concern when introducing baby to new foods. There are some things you can do as a parent to help minimize the chances that your baby will have food allergies and also to help you recognize them if they do occur.
Here are some baby care tips regarding food allergies:
• Don’t try to give solid foods or cereals too early
• Try to delay feeding solids until 6 months when the immune system is more fully developed
• Only introduce one new food at a time- wait about 3-5 days in between trying new foods so if there is a reaction, you can pin point what caused it
• Avoid foods that are known to cause reaction in many babies such as shellfish, gluten, citrus fruits, eggs, etc
• Find out if your baby is at a high risk of developing allergies- for example, do you have them yourself or does a sibling?
• Talk with your doctor about any questions or concerns you have regarding baby care and baby feeding.
What are some common symptoms of baby food allergy? Baby food allergies occur when the baby’s immune system treats a harmless substance as something dangerous and then tries to fight it off. Symptoms might include:
• Eczema
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Constipation
• Watery eyes
• Sneezing
• Excess mucous
• Throat swelling
• Difficulty breathing
Baby food allergies are not the same as food intolerance and you should speak to your doctor if you think your baby has either food allergies or food intolerance so your doctor can help you determine the best route to keeping your baby well fed and healthy.
While many parents worry about baby food allergies, reality shows us that only about 8% of children have this problem. If your baby is one of the 8%, there is help for you so talk with your doctor about it today. It’s also good to point out that many baby food allergies will be outgrown as your child grows older, often by the age of seven or eight.
Some food allergies which are not commonly outgrown include nuts and peanuts and shellfish. If your baby has food allergies, you should also talk to your doctor about having an Epi-pen on hand in case of anaphylaxis from eating something that causes allergic shock.
