HOW TO PREVENT FOOD ALLERGIES IN CHILDREN

Practical steps to take when introducing any new food to your baby.

Let's say your baby is 6 months of age and trying a puree or pap for the first time.

Follow these steps to avoid an allergic reaction

1. MAKE PUREE/PAP/CEREAL WITH ONLY ONE INGREDIENT
I know most mums have been looking forward to trying different recipes but it will do your baby a lot of good to start simple.
A single-ingredient food makes it easy to watch for reaction and trace any possible reaction to the food causing it.

2. GIVE THE SAME FOOD FOR THREE DAYS STRAIGHT
Give your baby the same food once each day for three days straight, your baby starting to eat solid food at 6 months of age should still have a steady supply of breastmilk so solid food should be given once or twice during the DAY, for three days straight.

3. WATCH CLOSELY
When introducing a new food, watch baby closely for any form of reaction pr discomfort that might be casued by the new food. You will be looking out for rahes, stomach aches, vomiting, loose stool, breathlesness etc

4. SUBSTITUTE AND ELIMINATE
Any food ingredient that causes a reaction should either be substitued or eliminated from your baby's diet to prevent further occurence.
If a parent happens to be allergic to a particular food ingredient, you should be more careful when introducing such food.

5. PASSED
Food ingredients that has passed the 3-day test can now be fed freely to baby and matched with other food ingreients that are safe for your baby.

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PS. Some food ingredients cause more allergic reactions than others, ingredients such as Milk, Eggs, Peanuts (groundnuts), Soy, Wheat, Fish, Shell fish such as shrimp, Tree nuts such as walnuts and cashews nuts are common allergens which accounts for 90% of all reaction in children. UcenterDress cocktail items suitable for baby mother

Hidayah Balogun
Child Nutritionist & Baby food chef