Prevent Peanut Allergies

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend introducing baby-friendly peanut foods to infants as early as 4-6 months of age, depending on their risk factors. Start after they have tried other solid foods and consider your family’s cultural practices. Continue feeding peanuts “early and often” — at least three times per week.
Infants with severe eczema, an egg allergy, or both are at higher risk for developing a peanut allergy. Consult your child’s healthcare provider before introducing peanuts[1]. Don’t delay, as the window for prevention is short and closes early. Most babies are not at high risk[1].

Early introduction guidelines for peanut allergy prevention are primarily based on the LEAP, LEAP-On, and LEAP Trio studies[3][4][5]. The LEAP study demonstrated that introducing peanut products to infants at high risk for allergies significantly reduced the incidence of peanut allergy by age 5[3]. The LEAP-On study confirmed that this protection persisted even after a year of peanut avoidance[4]. The LEAP Trio study extended these findings, showing that early peanut consumption continued to provide protection into adolescence, with a 71% reduction in peanut allergy rates[3][4]. This comprehensive research underscores the long-term benefits of early allergen introduction for sustained allergy prevention[3][4].

No, these recommendations will not prevent all babies from developing peanut allergy. However, according to the LEAP study, parents of children at risk for peanut allergy could reduce their baby’s chance of developing a peanut allergy by up to 86 percent by feeding them small amounts of peanut foods as early as 4-6 months of age[3][4].

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2020-25) give priority to peanut and egg, but evidence supports introducing all potential allergens in the first year[2][6].

If your baby does not have severe eczema or egg allergy, you can introduce peanut foods into their diet when you introduce other solid foods (as long as it’s in an age-appropriate way to avoid the risk of choking)[1]. If you have concerns, or if your child has egg allergy or severe eczema, consult your pediatrician or other healthcare provider before proceeding[1].

Once peanut foods are introduced into the diet and tolerated, they should be kept in the diet on a regular basis ― 2g of peanut protein, three times per week ― to maintain a tolerance to peanut protein[1].

Allergy symptoms usually develop within minutes of eating a food but can occur up to 2 hours after ingestion[7][8][9]. Allergy signs and symptoms can be mild, such as a new rash or a few hives around the mouth[7][8]. More severe symptoms can include swelling of the lip, eyes, or face, vomiting, widespread hives on the body, breathing symptoms such as repetitive cough, wheeze, or any difficulty breathing, a change in skin color (pale, blue), or sudden tiredness/lethargy/seeming limp[7][8][9]. If there are any concerns for more severe allergy symptoms, seek immediate medical attention/call 911[7][8][9].