The newest research shows that earlier introduction of peanuts can actually reduce the risk of peanut allergy by up to 80 percent. As soon as a baby starts eating solids, it’s a good idea to introduce peanuts, and it’s safe.But you can’t actually feed whole nuts to babies, as it is a choking hazard.
The concept behind introducing peanuts to baby is to expose them to the peanut protein in low quantity without risking any serious reaction.
So how to introduce peanuts to babies the safe way? This is how you can go about it !
When :
If your family has no history of nuts or egg allergy , then 6-8 months is a good age to try and check peanut allergy in such low risk infants.
How :
Take 1teaspoon of smooth peanut butter (not chunky ) and mix with 2-3 tablespoons of boiled water/milk . Feed this mix to your baby and wait for ten minutes to see if there is any reaction. Undiluted peanut butter can stick to palate or throats and can cause choking.
What to Observe:
Reaction manifests as runny nose , hives, itching, lip swelling, rash around mouth . In severe cases , wheezing and throat swelling can occur , but it is rare. If signs appear, stop giving the food and contact your doctor .
What if high-risk:
If you have family history of nuts/egg allergy or asthma, check with your doctor before introducing nuts .Your child may need peanut allergy skin testing or in-office observed peanut ingestion test.
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(Source : http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/136/3/600)
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