Doctors recommend early exposure to prevent peanut allergies

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.

 — A pediatricians' group is recommending that infants at high risk of peanut allergies be given foods containing peanuts before they turn 1.


The 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.

Allergy tests are recommended first for at-risk infants. These are youngsters who've had skin reactions to eating eggs or a severe eczema skin rash.

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.