Can giving babies peanut butter when they are between four and six months old reduce their risk of allergy?

Published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, scientists found that it needs to be done by the time they are six months old, and even earlier at four months for babies with eczema, a known risk factor for allergy.

Introducing peanut products into all babies' diet by six months could significantly decrease peanut allergy across the population by up to 77%, the study showed. (Source: Freepik)

Many people are allergic to nuts, especially peanuts. But, in some good news, researchers seem to have found that there is a clear “window of opportunity” to expose babies to peanuts and reduce the risk of them developing an allergy. Published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, scientists found that babies need to be fed peanut butter by the time they are six months old, and even earlier — at four months for those with eczema, which is a known risk factor for allergy.

Introducing peanut products into all babies’ diets by six months could significantly decrease peanut allergy across the population by up to 77 per cent, the study showed. It, however, added that the baby should be developmentally ready to start solids and smooth peanut butter, else baby-friendly snacks should be given, not whole or broken peanuts.

But, waiting to introduce peanut products until a baby’s first birthday would only lead to a 33 per cent reduction. This is because most peanut allergies have already developed by the time a child turns one.

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According to another research paper published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information, peanut allergy currently affects approximately 2% of the general population of Western nations and may be increasing in prevalence.

Commenting on the same, Dr Shuchin Bajaj, Founder and Director, Ujala Cygnus Group of Hospitals, said, “Peanut allergy develops when the body’s immune system mistakenly identifies proteins in peanuts as harmful and triggers an allergic reaction.” Agreeing with the results of the study, he told indianexpress.com, “introducing peanuts early in a baby’s diet has been found to reduce the risk of developing peanut allergy, according to the LEAP (Learning Early About Peanut Allergy) study.”

Signs and symptoms of peanut allergy

Most peanut allergies have already developed by the time a child turns one. (Source: Freepik)

The symptoms can range from mild to severe and may include hives, itching, swelling of the lips, tongue, and throat, difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, and in some cases, anaphylaxis, which is a severe and potentially life-threatening reaction that requires immediate medical attention.

Treatment options

Discussing the treatment options, Dr Bajaj said, “Treatment options include avoiding the allergen, taking medications to control symptoms, and in some cases undergoing allergy shots (immunotherapy) to desensitise the body’s immune system to the allergen. It is important to work with a healthcare professional to determine the best treatment plan for individual allergies.”

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ALSO READ | Oral immunotherapy is being increasingly used for treating peanut allergy; but is it the best way forward?

A study co-author, Professor Gideon Lack from King’s College London said that the study reflects the experience in Israel, where peanut snacks are given to young children and peanut allergies are rare.

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