The guidelines represent a shift in thinking about when it’s best to introduce babies and toddlers to the foods that are most likely to cause allergic reactions.
For years the parents of infants were told that delaying the introduction of certain foods may help prevent allergic disease.
For instance, parents were told to hold off on introducing eggs until kids turned 2. Doctors recommended against adding fish and nuts until age 3. But, increasingly, the evidence is pointing in a new direction.
In fact, in the new guidelines, the committee of allergists cites seven studies that suggest that delaying beyond 4 to 6 months of age the introduction of solid foods, especially highly allergenic foods, may actually increase the risk of food allergies or eczema.