Breast Feeding with Solid Food Prevent Child Allergies

Breast feeding and small amount of solid food after the 17th week of birth could reduce meals allergic reactions in babies, according to University of Southampton analysis.

The analysis, led by Dr. Kate Grimshaw, dietitian and senior analysis colleague at the University, say that giving the baby solid food besides breast-feeding helps it create a better, stronger defense mechanisms to fight food allergic reactions.

"Introducing solid foods alongside breast-feeding can benefit the defense mechanisms," Dr.Grimshaw explains. "It appears the defense mechanisms become educated when there is an overlap of solid foods and breasts milk because the milk promotes tolerogenic mechanisms against the solids."

"Also, our results suggest 17 several weeks is an important time point, with solid meals introduction before now appearing to advertise allergic disease whereas solid meals introduction after that period time point a promote tolerance."

Infants are largely intolerant of solid meals before four to six months of age. This is thought to be because of the infant gut being immature, which may cause symptoms of meals allergic reaction.

The study funded by the UK Food Standards Agency and published in Pediatrics, recruited 1140 infants at birth from the Hampshire area in a study known as 'PIFA'. Forty-one of these kids went onto to create a meals allergic reaction by time they were two years old. The eating plan of these babies was compared with the eating plan of 82 babies who did not create meals allergic reaction by time they were two.

The team found that kids who had developed allergic reactions began eating solid meals previously than kids with no allergic reactions -- roughly, at age 16 several weeks or earlier. Kid’s allergic reactions were also more likely to not be being breast-fed when the mother presented cow's milk protein, from any source.

Women who are not breast-feeding are encouraged to present solid after 17 several weeks of age, Dr. Grimshaw says.

This unique analysis supports the suggestions of the United States Academy of Pediatrics and the European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition who urge mothers not to introduced solid foods before four to six months of age. Besides the results also support the American Academia of Pediatrics' breast-feeding suggestions that breast-feeding should continue while solid foods are introduced into the diet.