Food allergies are a very common problem, and there are different schools of thought when it comes to how to handle them. New research shows that introducing a wider variety of foods when your child is young could prevent food allergies later in life.

For many years it has been recommended to delay the introduction of cow’s milk until your child is a year old, and to not give them nuts, peanuts or fish until they’ve reached age 3. However, introducing these potentially problematic foods earlier can help by letting your child’s immune system recognize that these foods are normal.

A 2008 AAP study found that delaying foods longer than 6 months did nothing to reduce allergies, and that introducing more different foods during the first year is probably beneficial.

Of course, be careful when introducing any new food, and make sure to avoid anything that could be a choking hazard.

Read the full article here: The new thinking on food allergies
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