Early Introduction of Complementary Foods Might Prevent Allergic Disease

The timing of the introduction of complementary foods in infants is confusing for parents and clinicians alike. Older guidelines recommended avoidance of dairy until age 1 year; eggs until age 2 years; and peanuts, nuts, and seafood until age 3 years. Currently, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breast-feeding until age 4 to 6 months, followed by introduction of complementary foods without providing a timeline for when to introduce specific foods. Investigators followed 3781 Finnish children for 5 years to examine the association between duration of breast-feeding and timing of introduction of complementary foods (based on parent report) and the development of allergic disease and specific IgE (sIgE) sensitization to f…