- Milk
- Eggs
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Tree Nuts
- Wheat
- Peanuts
- Soybeans
The FDA requires that the foods above be clearly labeled on packaged products, making it easier for parents to avoid them. Of those eight foods, those that affect children under 4 most often are milk, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease states that 6-8 percent of children under 4 have food allergies. And there are 300,000 episodes of anaphylaxis with 100-200 related deaths. If there can be good news in that statistic, it's that most of those deaths do not involve young children.
You can keep that statistic low by reading food labels, introducing these foods at the right times for your child and knowing the signs and first aid treatment for allergic reactions.
So, when should you introduce these foods and others that could cause an allergic reaction? This depends on your family history. Most foods can be introduced after your baby has turned 1 year of age. For those with a family history of food allergies, however, you will want to wait until your child is much older. In most cases, this means waiting until your child is at least 3 years of age. In addition, waiting to start solids until your child is 6 months old and breastfeeding as long as possible can help prevent or delay some allergies.
Most Common Food Allergies - When to Introduce Allergenic Foods
Other Food Allergies - Other Foods that Could Cause an Allergic Reaction
If you have a family history of allergies, you probably want to talk to your health care provider and wait until your child is older or take care when introducing these foods:
- Corn
- Chocolate (mainly due to cross-contamination and other ingredients contained in chocolate, not the chocolate itself)
- Citrus Fruit
- Berries
- Sulfites
Do you have a question you'd like to see answered? You can send your questions to me at babyparenting.guide@about.com and I will answer them here on the site.
