Prevention of food allergy

Allergies are often the cause of hypersensitivity as eczema, asthma and hay fever in children.

There are several reasons for the development of allergies.
Today, some of the causes to allergies are already know, while others hopefully will be resolved by continuing research.

But the children are here right now, and it requires that we act with the knowledge we have today.

On these pages, you can read about what you can do, what is effective and what is no good.

As becoming parents or newly parents, it is important for you to know if your future child / the newborn, is of particular risk of developing allergies. If the child is in particular the risk of developing allergies, this risk is reinforced, if the child simultaneously is exposed to many allergens. The prevention of allergy is therefore, to limit the exposure of allergens.

It is therefore important to speak with your doctor to find out whether your child has particular risk of developing allergies.

What is achieved by allergy prevention?
Research shows that prevention is of great importance.

Food allergy, child eczema, Asthmatic bronchitis and asthma usually starts at pre school age.
If you prevent allergies with your child, you reduce your child’s risk of developing food allergies, child eczema, Asthmatic bronchitis and asthma up to school age.

Read more about how to prevent allergies in your child.

How to prevent allergies?

If your child is in particular risk of developing allergies, you can by following the instructions below, reduce the risk for your child to develop allergies.

Several studies show that in children with a particular risk of developing allergies you may reduce, but not eliminate, the risk of developing food allergies (especially milk allergy) and child eczema in the first year of life if the child only is fed with breast milk or high hydrolysate infant formula in the first 4 months. There are no studies demonstrating a preventive effect on the development of allergy, by breast-feeding after 4 months of age. Studies also show that only a single grant of general infant formula may increase the risk of developing allergies within the first year of life.

You can not prevent allergies to dust mites or animals by breastfeeding. Instead you should look at bed and linnen and indoor climate.

Prevention of allergies in children at particular risk

Avoid the child being exposed to tobacco smoke.
There is no evidence of the effect of a dieting pregnant or nursing mother.
In order to prevent / delay the food allergies, child eczema and asthma the child should be breast fed the first 4 months. If this is not possible or sufficient, the child must have high hydrolysate infant formula in the first 4 months. After 4 months an ordinary infant formula can be used.
Regular food can be introduced at the earlist, when the child is 4 months if the child’s development and readiness speaks for doing so. Many children thrive on breast milk / formula up to 6 months of age. When introducing regular food, there is no evidence of impact of omitting certain foods (such as milk, eggs, fish, citrus fruits, etc.)
In order to prevent coeliac disease gluten containing food should be avoided up to 6 months of age. Use instead maize, rice and millet.
In order to prevent dust mites allergy the child should have a new mattress and clean, washable duvet and pillows.
In order to prevent fur allergy, fur animals should be avoided in the child’s daily environment in the first year of life.
Make sure to have a good indoor climate.

Prevention of allergies in children without particular risk

Avoid the child being exposed to tobacco smoke.
The child should be breat fed the first 6 months and prefereably longer. If the mother can not breast feed, ordinary infant formula should be used.
Regular food can be introduced at the earlist when the child is 4 months if the child’s development and readiness speaks for doing so. Many children thrive on breast milk / formula up to 6 months of age.
In order to prevent coeliac disease foods containing gluten shoul be avoided up to 6 months of age. Use instead maize, rice and millet.
Make sure to have a good indoor climate.

If you want to reduce the amount of the indoor allergenes which the child can be exposed, fur animals can be avoided in the child’s daily environment in the first year of life, and the child can get a new mattress and a clean, washable duvet and pillows. However, there is no evidence that it prevents allergies in children, who has no particular risk of developing allergies.