Food Allergies: Prevention

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Prevention

Food allergies often occur in people who have a family history of asthma, atopic dermatitis, or allergies to pollen, mold, or other substances. These people are said to be atopic, meaning they have an inherited tendency to develop allergic conditions. Allergies cannot be prevented in these people.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all babies, especially those with a strong family history of allergies, be breast-fed for the first year of life or longer.⁶ If your baby is at high risk for allergies and you cannot breast-feed, try a hydrolyzed milk formula. The milk protein in hydrolyzed formulas is changed to try to prevent allergies.⁷

Other recommendations for high-risk babies include the following:⁸

• Nursing mothers should eliminate peanuts and tree nuts, such as almonds and walnuts, from their diet and should consider eliminating eggs, cow's milk, and fish.
• Solid foods should not be introduced into the diet of high-risk infants until they are 6 months of age. Dairy products should be delayed until 1 year, eggs until 2 years, and peanuts, nuts, and fish until 3 years of age. This may help reduce the risk of food allergies.⁹
• Pregnant women do not need to exclude foods from their diets, with the possible exception of peanuts.

Tobacco smoke contributes to allergy sensitivity, so it is important to have a smoke-free environment.

About 85% of children outgrow allergies to milk, wheat, eggs, and soy between ages 3 and 5.³ Children usually do not outgrow allergies to peanuts, tree nuts (such as walnuts and almonds), fish, and shellfish.

Last updated:	April 05, 2007
Author:	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, Harold S. Nelson, MD - Allergy and Immunology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman, MATC