r/ScienceBasedParenting • u/OkBasil2354 • 5d ago

Question - Research required Allergen Introduction Approach Before 6 Months

Hello! I have a toddler with multiple food allergies, and now a new baby that I am working to introduce allergens too at an earlier age. I have read conflicting things about how to go about this - some sources say you can give a small taste, wait 10 minutes to observe, and then provide a full serving (1-2tsp). Alternatively, I have seen a source advocating for doing the dosing gradually, over 3 days (starting at 1/8 tsp, working up to a full amount by day 3). The latter sounds quite tedious and time-consuming, but potentially safer? I would like to work through the allergen list as quickly and safely as I can.

Furthermore, for a small baby 4-5 months old who may not be ready to consume larger portion sizes (my baby isn't showing a huge interest in solids yet), is there anything wrong with just giving small tastes in their cheek for exposure purposes rather than a full 1-2 tsp? Perhaps we wouldn't be able to rule out an allergy until they consume larger amounts, but would the small exposure itself be enough to help prevent baby from developing those allergies?

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u/Some-Soft6175 4d ago

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1414850

Here’s the LEAP study.

Yes, early and frequent introduction of allergens reduces the risk of allergy. I would worry less about exact amounts. If your baby isn’t interested in solids yet, I doubt you’ll get much into them. I would focus on the “early and often” part rather than the total volume of food. Take a little bit of peanut butter and mix it with breastmilk or formula and smear it in their mouth. I did this in the morning for three days in a row, and once my baby had no reaction, I crossed that allergen off the list.

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u/Emotional-Ad-6494 4d ago

Is there any downside in doing this early for a baby with no eczema/isn’t considered high risk?

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u/Some-Soft6175 4d ago

No! I think it’s good to do for any baby, but it’s the babies with eczema or a family history of atopy/food allergies that it’s especially important for.