Parents are now being advised to offer foods such as peanut butter, milk and eggs at about six months of age by the Canadian Pediatric Society. They even say that babies who are ready for food as early as four months old can be introduced to the foods.

The shift in thinking is because they previously thought that digestive tracts needed more time to mature. but have since learned that allergies develop through the skin. It is now thought that the digestive tract trains the body to tolerate allergens.New studies that show that eating early is preventative. Previous recommendations (See the new ones here) have caused allergy rates to increase.

It is now thought that the digestive tract trains the body to tolerate allergens. 

They recommend introducing foods such as Cow's milk.Egg.Peanut.Tree nuts.Fish.Shellfish.Wheat and Soy much earlier. Especially to babies considered at high risk for food allergy. if they have a personal history of eczema, or a parent or sibling with allergies.

Parents and caregivers are advised to offer common allergens one at a time to check for any reaction. If all is well at the first exposure, parents should offer the food a few times a week to maintain tolerance. 

A nationwide survey suggested 7.5 per cent of the population in Canada reports having a food allergy.
 
Did you wait to introduce these foods to your child? Do you think it would have made a difference to introduce them earlier?