I have two grown sons and I marvel at how the recommendations have changed regarding the introduction of solid foods. When I was born, my mother, a nurse, was told to introduce solid foods around 2 weeks of age.

Even when my sons were born 28 and 30 years ago, doctors recommended that solid foods be introduced around 4-6 weeks of age. Times have certainly changed. The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life and that solid foods be introduced gradually starting at 6 months of age.

Greater caution is recommended if you have a family history of allergic disease. The American College of Allergy and Immunology recommends that selected solid foods be introduced at 6 months of age, dairy products at 12 months of age, hen’s egg at 24 months of age, and peanut, tree nuts, fish, and seafood no sooner than 36 months of age.

For those infants without a family history of allergic disease, egg, peanut, tree nuts, fish, and seafood should be introduced one at a time and in small amounts beginning at 6 months of age.

It appears that early introduction of solid foods can increase the risk of food allergy, that avoidance of solids can prevent the development of specific food allergies, that some foods are more allergenic than others, and that some food allergies are more persistent than others.

Have your children experienced food allergies?

If so, is there any advice that you can share with other parents?