What is early allergen introduction? 

What is early allergen introduction?. Image of baby being fed with orange spoon

Thanks to recent clinical trials and new medical guidelines, we now know we can prevent up to 4 out of 5 food allergies before they start through a process known as early allergen introduction. Early allergen introduction involves feeding your baby common allergenic foods starting at four months of age to help prevent food allergies. 

5 Key Rules For Early Allergen Introduction

  • Studies recommend starting as early as 4-6 months, to align with a critical immune window, giving your infant the best opportunity to develop a positive response to new foods.

  • Following pediatric guidelines, only introduce allergenic foods one at a time every few days, to determine how the baby is reacting to each new food.

  • The PETIT study and leading pediatricians recommend this dosing as it maximizes safety and efficacy.

  • Clinical trials exposed infants to allergenic foods 2-7 times a week for 3-6+ months. Families unable to maintain this frequent feeding did not see any benefit of food allergy prevention.

  • Many 4-6 month olds are not ready to eat solid foods regularly and can be picky eaters. Despite these difficulties, continuing allergen introduction is crucial. For long-lasting immunity, research shows that “educating” an infant’s immune system over time is vital to creating tolerance.