A pediatricians' group is recommending that infants at high risk of peanut allergies be given foods containing peanuts before they turn 1. The interim guidance is in response to a major allergy study published earlier this year that found that exposure to peanuts in infancy seemed to help build tolerance—contrary to conventional thinking. Baby-suitable foods used in the study included smooth peanut butter, peanut soup, and finely ground peanuts mixed into yogurt and other foods. The advice comes in a consensus statement that the American Academy of Pediatrics helped prepare and endorsed in June along with the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and several foreign allergy groups.
The academy is releasing the statement online Monday in the journal Pediatrics. Allergy tests are recommended before exposing at-risk infants to peanut-containing foods between 4 months and 11 months of age. These are youngsters who've had skin reactions to eating eggs or a severe eczema skin rash, which suggests a possible food allergy. The recommendations are meant to serve as interim guidance while more extensive guidelines are prepared by the National Institute of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Those are expected by next year, the consensus statement said. (More peanut allergy stories.)
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