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cvharris
03-15-2004, 01:00 PM
I have read that if there is a family history of allergy to a specific food, it is best to wait until a year of age (or older) to introduce that food. DH and his family have a ton of food allergies. DH is allergic to milk (but not milk products), his mom is allergic to corn, and several of his Aunts/Uncles are allergic to all wheat products. So, I thought I'd play it safe and not introduce wheat or corn until one year of age.

Ben has been eating finger foods for a while, but our choices have been limited when it comes to introducing more finger foods since there are only so many rice and oat products out there. My mom thinks I am being too overly cautious about the wheat, since the allergies lie in DH's extended family only. What do you all think? Would you introduce it now (at 9 months) or continue to wait?

Carolee and Ben (6/14/03)

sntm
03-15-2004, 01:40 PM
with that history, i would wait until 1 year. i'm trying to regardless and our food allergy history (my brother and sister and dad) doesn't include those foods. the way i look at it, easier to avoid the foods for 3 more months than the rest of his life! if you can't wait until a year (it's an arbitrary cutoff anyway) just see how long you can wait. go until you get fed up.

it is hard, though! if you have a large grocery, there are frozen waffles that are wheat free (Van something). Some cereals are okay -- check ingredients. We do a lot of fruits and veggies as finger foods.
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shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03

JElaineB
03-16-2004, 10:24 AM
I would say waiting until a year on anything you think is risky is probably the way to go. For other foods, here is a link that might help you decide when to introduce foods that you aren't sure about. It is a sample page from a book on food allergies, and indicates when to start certain foods with an allergic infant:

Sequence of Adding Solid Foods for the Allergic Infant
http://www.hallpublications.com/title2_sample2.html

Jennifer
mom to Jacob 9/27/02

KMommie
03-16-2004, 11:26 PM
I would wait. I wouldn't want to mess with food allergies, they can be so severe and such a worry! We have a family history of various allergies in our family, most of them non-food related. My allergist told me that just because I'm allergic to, for example, olive trees, doesn't mean that Kiki is more likely to be allergic to olive trees, BUT that she is just MORE likely OVERALL to have some type of allergy---

Now, Kiki has also had some food issues on really "benign" stuff like carrots and bananas, so we are being extra careful. But, we're holding out on any nut products until at least age 3, and we're going to be very careful about wheat and corn, when we eventually add it to her diet. So far, the only grain she's gotten is rice! And I hear about it, every time my MIL sees me!

Jeannie
mommy to Kiki 4/18/03

Rachels
03-16-2004, 11:56 PM
Another vote to wait. THere's nothing to be gained (except convenience) by introducing allergenic foods before one year, but especially with a family history like that, there's much to lose.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02