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Revised Feeding Recommendations for Allergy Prevention
Posted on: 08/11/2008
The American Academy of Pediatrics has recently revised its feeding recommendations for the prevention of allergies in children.
In its January, 2008 statement the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) reversed some of its previous guidelines for feeding infants, particularly those with a family history of allergy. Among the highlights of the report was a continued emphasis on breastfeeding as an aid in the prevention of allergy. In its previous report in 2000, parents were instructed that solid foods should not be introduced into the diet of high-risk infants until 6 months of age, with dairy products deferred until 1 year, eggs until 2 years, and peanuts, nuts and fish until 3 years of age. The new report alters this recommendation, suggesting solid foods be introduced between the age of 4 and 6 months. Delaying the introduction of solids past 6 months shows no evidence of a protective benefit—regardless of type of formula used or breastfeeding. This includes solids that are thought to be highly allergenic.
There is NO evidence for the use of soy formula for the prevention of allergy. For high-risk infants (those with parent or sibling with allergic disease) who are not breastfed, there is some evidence that eczema may be delayed or prevented by the use of extensively hydrolyzed formulas (such as Alimentum®, Nutramigen® or Pregestimil®) or partially hydrolyzed formulas (for example, Good Start® which is partially hydrolyzed whey; Gentlease® which is partially hydrolyzed casein) in comparison to cow's milk-based intact formulas.
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