Transitioning a Baby With Allergies From Formula to Food

Common Food Allergens

• While it's possible that your baby could be allergic to any food, some foods are common allergens and are more likely to cause concern. The foods that cause about 90 percent of allergic reactions are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat, according to MayoClinic.com. In most cases, if your child has an allergic reaction after eating, one of these foods is likely to be the trigger. If you have a family history of food allergies, or your child is already diagnosed with one, talk to his pediatrician before starting solid foods.

Introducing New Foods

• MayoClinic.com encourages parents to introduce only one new food at a time and to wait three to five days between each new food before serving something else your baby has never tried. This allows you to monitor for symptoms of a food allergy and lets you know which food is the trigger. If you fill your baby's plate with several new foods at one time and she experiences an allergic reaction, you won't know which food caused it. Offer single ingredient foods first and transition to combination foods only if she's previously tried one of the items with no ill effects.

Monitoring for Allergies

• Knowing what symptoms indicate a food allergy makes it simple for you to watch for them to crop up when you move from formula to solid foods. Signs that your baby is having an allergic reaction to food include hives, skin rash, flushed skin, swelling of the face, tongue or lips, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Symptoms range in severity, but typically set in soon after a meal. If you notice any of these signs, get medical help for your baby right away.

Tips

• The best way to make sure your baby doesn't get a dangerous food is to read labels very carefully. Many companies list the presence of the top 8 food allergens on the packaging, which makes it easier to determine if a food is safe or not. If your baby has multiple food allergies, extra caution is required. If you're ever in doubt, choose a different food for your baby. Cooking at home is a good way to control the ingredients in your baby's food. Be careful when eating out and preparing food at home because cross contamination with a trigger food can also cause a reaction.