You might have heard that it's best to avoid giving your babies anything with peanuts in it. Now, though, doctors may recommend starting peanut products early in life to lessen the likelihood of an allergy developing. Ask your baby's doctor when and how to start giving your baby peanut protein. It could happen as soon as your baby starts eating solid food. If your baby has atopic dermatitis, giving them peanut products early on may help keep them from getting peanut allergies later on. Babies who are likely to have allergies may need to try peanut protein in a doctor's office.
- Is your baby likely to have an allergy to peanuts?
Talk to your baby's doctor about your baby's risk of having an allergy to peanuts. Your baby's doctor may also check for an allergy to peanuts. If your child has severe eczema or an egg or other food allergy, he or she may be at high risk. Who in your family can't eat peanuts? If your child has mild to moderate eczema, he or she may be at moderate risk If your child doesn't have eczema or other food allergies, he or she may not be at much risk.
- How do you start giving peanuts to your baby?
If your baby is likely to be allergic to peanuts, ask your doctor if there is a safe way to give peanut products.
This can be done as soon as your baby is 4 to 6 months old or soon after he or she starts eating other solid foods. At the doctor's office, you and an allergist will most likely do an experiment in which you feed your child a peanut-based product. If your baby has a moderate risk, you might want to try giving them peanut products for around 6 months. After your baby starts eating solid foods, you can give peanut products to the baby as much as you want if he or she is not at high risk. If you want to give your baby peanut products, do it when you can spend at least two hours with him or her. This gives you time to make sure they don't have an allergic reaction. First, give your baby a small bite. After that, wait 10 minutes. If that works, feed the others.
- Try mixing a teaspoon or two of smooth peanut butter with warm water, milk, or fruit for the first feeding. Wait until it's cool to give it to your baby.
- Snacks for babies that have peanuts in them.
- Add peanuts to yogurt or applesauce.
- peanut soup
- Other foods that your family likes contain peanuts.
Avoid giving children under 4 whole peanuts. When small children eat whole peanuts, they can choke.If your baby doesn't have any allergies, give him or her the same amount a few times a week.
- What's wrong with peanuts?
Some children who are allergic to peanuts can have a very bad reaction to peanut products. A mild reaction might be a few red, raised, itchy spots on the skin (hives). A severe reaction can cause hives all over, throat swelling, trouble breathing, feeling sick or throwing up, or passing out. It can kill you.
- How do you know when to call for help?
If you think your child is having a severe allergic reaction, give them an epinephrine shot. Even if your child feels better after you give them an epinephrine shot, you should still call 911. If you think your child needs help right away, call 911. Call, for example, if your child is having signs of a very bad allergic reaction. Some of these are:
- Red, raised bumps (hives) appear all over his or her body
- The throat, mouth, lips, or tongue swell up
- It's hard for the baby to breathe
- Getting sick
- Feeling very dizzy or weak, confused
Call your doctor or the nurse call line right away or go to the hospital right away if: Your child is having an allergic reaction, and these are some of the signs:
- hives or a rash (raised, red areas on the skin).
- Itching
- Swelling
- Stomach pain
- feeling sick
- vomiting
Keep a close eye on your child's health and call your doctor or the nurse call line if: Your child doesn't get better like you thought they would. Introducing peanut butter to babies can be good for their health in general. If you give your baby peanut butter and other peanut-based foods when they are young, they might not become allergic to peanuts. Peanut butter also has good for you things like antioxidants, vitamin E, magnesium, fiber, protein, potassium, and sodium. Peanut butter is also good for your heart because it has monounsaturated fats. If you want to give your baby peanut butter, you might thin it out with a tablespoon or two of water until it's more like a liquid.
This will make it easier to feed peanut butter to babies who are about 4 months old or younger. The same is true if you use peanut powder instead of peanut butter, but you can also start giving your baby peanut butter when he or she is 4 to 6 months old and can eat solid foods. Your baby's skin may turn very pale if he or she has an allergy to peanut butter. As their body tries to get rid of the peanut butter or other allergen, they could get diarrhea or throw up. They might get hives or blotchy, red rashes on their skin. As their throats swell, it can change how they breathe, making it harder for them to breathe. This could happen along with wheezing or sneezing. Some people who have food allergies even lose consciousness. If you don't, you might feel dizzy or have trouble with your circulation. Peanut allergies can sometimes be avoided by eating peanut butter regularly, but that's not always the case. If you already have an allergy to another food, you are more likely to get an allergy to peanuts in the future.