According to scientists, there is a new, simple method to reduce peanut allergies by a remarkable 71 percent.
How? By introducing peanuts to your child regularly from the age of 4 months to 5 years. This approach remains effective even if your child continues to consume peanuts after the age of 5 or if they do not consume them at all.
The lead researcher, Professor Gideon Lack from King’s College London, stated, “Decades of advice to avoid peanuts have led parents to fear feeding peanuts to their children at an early age.” However, he now believes that early exposure to peanuts in infancy leads to long-term tolerance and protection against allergies through adolescence, significantly reducing peanut allergies in future generations.
In Western countries, such as the UK, Australia, North America, and Western Europe, 2 percent of young children suffer from peanut allergies, with the number increasing. While many parents choose to eliminate peanuts from their children’s diet due to the severity of peanut allergies, a new study suggests that avoiding peanuts could actually heighten the risk of developing dangerous allergies.
Lack’s multi-trial study revealed that early exposure to peanuts reduced the risk of developing an allergy by 81 percent in 5-year-olds. A follow-up study with adolescents showed that those who were exposed to peanuts during their early years had a 71 percent lower risk of developing an allergy as teenagers.
The researchers emphasize that babies should be ready to start solid foods before introducing peanuts and offer guidance on safely incorporating peanuts into a child’s diet.
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Source: www.sciencefocus.com
