Pediatricians are experimenting with early peanut introduction to prevent allergies (and the results are surprising)

A recent clinical study showed that, with the right support, pediatricians can successfully guide families in early peanut introduction

For years, parents were encouraged to wait before giving peanuts to babies. Now, however, things are changing, and science is offering a new direction. According to important research published in the journal Pediatrics, introducing peanut-containing foods as early as the first months of life could reduce the risk of developing allergies.

The problem is serious: about 8% of American children have a food allergy, and peanut allergy is the most common. For this reason, pediatricians are experimenting with new strategies to improve prevention. The core of the intervention? Specific training for physicians, support tools integrated into digital health systems, and educational materials for families.

The study

The project involved 30 pediatric clinics in Chicago and Peoria, in both public and private settings. In total, 18,480 infants were observed, followed by 290 pediatricians. Only some of these practices received the complete support package: training videos for clinicians, automatic reminders in electronic records, and visual handouts for parents.

In infants at low allergic risk, 84% of trained physicians followed the guidelines, compared to 35% of untrained physicians. Even among higher-risk children, the numbers speak clearly: adherence rose to 27% in centers with support, versus just 10% in others, as explained by Dr. Ruchi Gupta, pediatrician and researcher at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, who led the study:

The 4- or 6-month pediatric visit is often very intense. Giving physicians the right tools makes a difference in providing clear advice to parents.

A simple practice, but still rarely applied

Dr. Gupta hopes that the results obtained will lead to broader adoption of these strategies. “Families need to feel confident in introducing these foods,” she explained. “Prevention is possible, but simple and accessible information is needed.”

The project was funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and is part of a broader effort to reduce childhood allergies through prevention. Lurie Children’s Hospital, where the research was conducted, is a nonprofit organization that combines medical care and advanced research, with the goal of transforming pediatric medicine through a preventive approach.

Source: Journal Pediatrics