As your baby’s diet becomes more varied, make sure you are aware of the signs and possible triggers of food allergies.
Food allergies and intolerances are rare but can occur when a food
or something in the environment is wrongly interpreted by the
body's immune system as being harmful.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of a food allergy are due to body's immune system trying
to tackle the food. They can include diarrhoea, breathing
difficulties, swelling and rashes. These symptoms may develop
immediately after eating a food, or several hours later.
In very rare and serious cases, food allergy can lead to
anaphylaxis, which can cause swelling of the throat and mouth and
can be life-threatening.
Is my baby at risk?
Most babies and toddlers can eat a varied diet without any
problems. However, your baby is more likely to have a food allergy
if you, their father or their siblings have a history of food
allergies or suffer from eczema, asthma or hay fever.
Common trigger foods
Certain foods are known to commonly cause allergic reactions. These
include milk, eggs, wheat, nuts, sesame seeds, soya, lupin, celery,
celariac, mustard, sulphur dioxide / sulphites, fish,
shellfish and molluscs. Avoid giving these foods until six months,
and then introduce them one at a time so you can monitor your
baby's reaction. Whole nuts should be avoided until your child is
five years old however because of the risk of choking.
If you suspect your baby has a food allergy, talk to your GP or
healthcare professional. Never cut out food groups without medical
advice as this may leave your baby lacking in essential
nutrients.
What about peanuts?
About one to two per cent of people have a serious allergy to nuts,
particularly peanuts. This can be life threatening. If you, your
baby's father or any of their siblings have eczema, asthma, hay
fever or food allergies, you might want to avoid peanuts and peanut
products while breast feeding, and wait until your baby is at least
three years old before giving them products containing peanuts.
Check packets to make sure the foods you give your baby are
peanut-free.
If there is no family history of allergic conditions, you can
give your baby peanut products once they reach six months. Avoid
giving whole nuts until your child is 5 years old.
Lupin is a legume related to peanuts that may be found some
products that contain flour.
Always check labels
If a product contains one of the common allergens, it will be
clearly labelled in the ingredients list or often in a separate
"contains" box.