Food Allergies

Food allergies often occur in people who have a family history of asthma, atopic dermatitis, or allergies to pollen, mold, or other substances. These people are said to be atopic, meaning they have an inherited tendency to have allergic conditions. Allergies cannot be prevented in these people.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all babies be breast-fed for the first year of life or longer.⁶ For babies with family members who have food allergies, breast-feeding only for at least 4 months helps prevent allergies to milk.⁷ If your baby is at high risk for allergies and you cannot breast-feed, try a hydrolyzed milk formula. The milk protein in hydrolyzed formulas is changed to try to prevent allergies.⁸

If you are a woman with a food allergy who is planning on a pregnancy and breast-feeding, talk to your doctor about what foods to avoid while pregnant or nursing.

For more information on breast-feeding, see the topic Breast-Feeding. To learn more about how to introduce solid foods to your baby, see the topic Weaning.

Tobacco smoke contributes to allergy sensitivity, so it is important to have a smoke-free environment.

About 85% of children outgrow allergies to milk, wheat, eggs, and soy between ages 3 and 5.⁴ But while 1 out of 5 kids outgrow an allergy to peanuts, they rarely outgrow an allergy to tree nuts (like walnuts or almonds) or seafood.²