This Feb. 20, 2015 photo shows an arrangement of peanuts in New York. In a statement released online Monday, Aug. 25, 2015 in the journal Pediatrics, a pediatricians’ group is recommending that infants at high risk of peanut allergies be fed foods containing peanuts before they turn 1. (AP Photo/Patrick Sison)
LINDSEY TANNER, AP Medical Writer
CHICAGO (AP) — A pediatricians’ group is recommending that infants at high risk of peanut allergies be given foods containing peanuts before they turn 1.
The interim guidance is in response to a major allergy study published earlier this year that found that exposure to peanuts in infancy seemed to help build tolerance — contrary to conventional thinking.
Baby-suitable foods used in the study included smooth peanut butter, peanut soup and finely ground peanuts mixed into yogurt and other foods.
The advice comes in a consensus statement that the American Academy of Pediatrics helped prepare and endorsed in June along with the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and several foreign allergy groups.
The academy is releasing the statement online Monday in the journal Pediatrics.
Allergy tests are recommended before exposing at-risk infants to peanut-containing foods between 4 months and 11 months of age.
These are youngsters who’ve had skin reactions to eating eggs or a severe eczema skin rash, which suggests a possible food allergy.
The recommendations are meant to serve as interim guidance while more extensive guidelines are prepared by the National Institute of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Those are expected by next year, the consensus statement said.
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Online:
American Academy of Pediatrics: http://www.aap.org
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology: http://www.aaaai.org
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