Introduce peanut foods early, new allergy advice says

New guidance from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), has suggested that babies should be exposed to peanuts early in order to reduce the risk of allergy.

NIAID studies have shown the risk of developing a peanut allergy can be reduced by more than 80 per cent by early exposure.

The NIAID maintained the move would be an important step forward’, but warned young children should not eat whole peanuts, because of the risk of choking.

The news comes as allergy levels have continued to rise in both the US and the UK, with previous guidance directing that parents should wait until the child is three years old to introduce peanuts into their diet.

The new guidance recommends: children with other allergies or severe eczema should start on peanut-containing foods at between four and six months old, with medical supervision; babies with mild eczema should have peanut-containing food at about six months old; and those with no eczema or allergies can have peanut-containing food freely introduced.

Dr Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said: "We expect that widespread implementation of these guidelines by healthcare providers will prevent the development of peanut allergy in many susceptible children and ultimately reduce the prevalence of peanut allergy in the United States."