If you are concerned about food allergies in your baby, the current advice is twofold: introduce exposure early and maintain exposure with regular frequency, or at least 2-3 times per week.

At one point, the advice was to delay exposure to potential allergens, but current research does not support this. Now, allergists and other experts widely agree that delaying allergens in baby’s diet can increase the likelihood of allergies developing. So, while it might feel scary to introduce potential allergens alongside baby’s first foods, early exposure is technically the safer route!

A whopping 90 percent of food allergies trace back to the eight foods listed below, according to John Hopkins.

Food allergies can develop at any point in life. Your baby may be considered at a higher risk of developing food allergies if they:

Interestingly, most allergists do not consider family history an accurate indicator of high risk for food allergies. It once was a common belief, but no substantial evidence supports it.

Your baby may not present with all of these symptoms, but symptoms can include:

Both can cause unpleasant and similar symptoms, but there is a difference:

Food allergy

The immune system mistakenly identifies a specific food protein as harmful and triggers an allergic reaction. Symptoms can range from mild (such as itching or hives) to severe (such as anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening reaction). Food allergies are typically diagnosed through skin prick tests, blood tests, and food challenges under medical supervision.

Food intolerance

Food intolerance involves difficulty digesting certain foods, leading to gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating, gas, diarrhea, or stomach pain. Unlike food allergies, which affect the immune system, food intolerances usually result from enzyme deficiencies, sensitivity to food additives, or reactions to naturally occurring substances in food. Lactose intolerance (difficulty digesting lactose, the sugar in milk) and intolerance to histamine (a compound found in certain foods) are examples of food intolerances. Food intolerance reactions are generally less severe than allergic reactions.

Food allergy is relatively rare, but it is on the rise. According to the National Institute of Health, “The worldwide prevalence of food allergy is estimated to be around 4% of children and 1% of adults, with an increased prevalence in the past two decades.”

If you think your baby may be experiencing an allergic reaction to food, call your pediatrician for guidance. Severe or anaphylactic reactions should be treated as a medical emergency.