Food Allergies While Weaning

In India, food allergy is something people tend to ignore or do not understand its seriousness. People still laugh if we talk about gluten or lactose intolerance. We may have lesser food allergies as compared to the west but that does not mean we should take them lightly. As we start weaning by six months, let’s look at food items which could be potential food allergens for our babies.

1. Milk
2. Nuts
3. Eggs
4. Fish
5. Chicken
6. Shellfish
7. Vegetables like brinjal and yam.
8. Wheat

These are the common food allergens and it’s recommended to introduce  all these before twelve months because the effect and damages will be more if we introduce them later. Milk, in direct form, is not recommended until twelve months but it can always be added in porridges and sheera. Wheat has gluten and if your baby is intolerant to it, it will have an adverse effect on his/her gut.

Symptoms of food allergies

• Babies will develop red rashes all over the body.
• Swollen lips and eyes.
• Babies eyes will turn red and the eyes will become watery.
• They may not be able to tell us but will behave crankily.
• There will be continuous vomiting or loosies.

So when you introduce the above-listed food always do so in the daytime and not in the evenings cause if they are allergic to the particular food, the symptoms will show within 6 hrs and this is why 3 days rule of same  food is not followed now. When you see the baby reacting badly, take the baby to the doctor immediately. Adding nut powder to their food is nutritious but test each and every nut on them.

When you have tested all the nuts, you can make powder and it can be added in their food. Eggs and other non-veg foods are up to you but make sure you introduce them before 12 months, For my daughter – Atarah – I introduced everything by eight months and she has no allergic reactions to anything.

If you are confused if it is an allergy or not, offer the same food item after a few days. These days when I order a cake for parties I make sure it’s eggless because there are a lot of kids who are allergic to eggs. Happy weaning.

#babyfoods