(BPT) - Many parents worry about food allergies, with peanut products high on the list. The good news is that introducing these foods early is an approach that is already making a difference, dramatically reducing the occurrence of peanut allergy in children over the past several years.

A 2025 study out of the Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania (CHOP) published in Pediatrics found that rates of peanut allergy in children under age 3 have declined 43% over the last several years. This decline corresponds with the implementation of an early introduction method assessed in the 2015 Learning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP) study, which resulted in 2017 Guidelines from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. These guidelines encouraged allergists and pediatricians to use a new approach: Advising parents on the careful introduction of a small amount of peanut product early in infancy to help prevent potentially severe allergic reactions later.

The CHOP study analyzed electronic health records from more than 120,000 children, confirming that introducing a small amount of a potential allergen like peanut products early helps an infant's immune system learn to tolerate the substance rather than overreacting to it.

While it often takes time for research results to make a positive impact for real families in their everyday lives, these early but positive results are a welcome sign that common medical concerns like food allergies can be successfully addressed through the combined efforts of researchers, allergists, pediatricians and parents.

What this means for all food allergies

The CHOP study also found that adopting the early introduction approach corresponded to a 36% reduction in all new cases of food allergies, including other common food allergies in children such as milk, egg and tree nuts, suggesting that the new guidelines are translating to real-world prevention.

"These study results are very promising. They show that as more parents adopt these early introduction practices, it's less likely their children will develop serious food allergies later in childhood," explained allergist Cherie Zachary, M.D., president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). "The early food introduction approach can also help parents address other potential food allergies including eggs, which have now become the most common food allergy among children since the decline of peanut allergy."

The importance of early introduction for children at high risk

If your infant has severe atopic dermatitis (commonly known as eczema), or already has an allergy to eggs, your child is considered to be at high risk for peanut allergy. In that case, introduction of a peanut product, like a small amount of peanut butter (combined with formula or breast milk), under the supervision of an allergist, is recommended to help prevent peanut allergy from developing.

The Addendum Guidelines advise a specific method for introducing peanut-containing foods as early as 4-6 months of age for high-risk infants who have already started solid foods, after determining that it is safe to do so. The first step is to consult an allergy specialist who can perform peanut allergy testing, followed by trying a peanut product for the first time at the doctor's office.

"If your child is at high risk for allergy, trying the peanut product at the specialist's office first is the safest way to introduce the potential allergen to your infant, rather than trying it at home," explained Zachary.

Introducing peanut products to moderate- and low-risk children

Moderate-risk infants are those with mild to moderate eczema who have already started eating solid foods. These children do not need an evaluation by an allergist, and they can have peanut-containing foods introduced at home by their parents starting around six months old. Contact your child's pediatrician for any questions about how to proceed.

Children considered low risk for peanut allergies do not have any eczema or egg allergy. They can be introduced to peanut-containing foods according to the family's preference, also at around six months, but only when a child is healthy. Do not do the first feeding of any peanut product if your child has a cold, vomiting, diarrhea or other illness. It's also recommended to introduce age-appropriate peanut-containing foods only after infants have started eating other solid foods first. In other words, peanut-containing foods should not be the first solid food that your infant tries.

You can watch this video, "Peanuts and your baby: How to introduce the two" for specific instructions on how to introduce peanut products to your child at home.

Remember: Whole nuts should never be given to infants or toddlers, as they are a choking hazard.

"The CHOP study makes it clear that these changes in food allergy prevention over the past several years are already making a huge difference for children and their families," said Zachary. "Parents can now feel even more confident that early introduction is an effective way to reduce the risk of developing peanut allergy later in childhood."

Learn more about peanut allergies at ACAAI.org. If you believe your infant or child has had a reaction to a food in the past, a food allergy test may be recommended. Allergists are the best trained medical professionals to treat allergies and asthma. To locate an allergist in your area, visit AllergyandAsthmaRelief.org.