Giving kids eggs at six months could reduce allergy risk: Study

For many years, parents were often advised to delay giving eggs and other allergenic foods to babies, especially if there was a family history of allergies. Doctors believed that avoiding these foods during infancy could lower the chances of allergic reactions later in life. However, new research suggests that this long-held belief may have been wrong. The study, conducted in Australia, is among the first to show that changes in feeding practices can lead to measurable improvements in allergy prevention across an entire population.
Experts say the findings strengthen growing evidence that early exposure to common allergenic foods helps train the immune system to tolerate them rather than react against them.
According to the research, egg allergy prevalence fell by more than 17 per cent after health authorities shifted recommendations from delaying egg introduction until one to three years of age to introducing eggs by around six months. The reduction was particularly notable among children with eczema, a group already known to have a higher risk of developing food allergies.
Children with eczema experienced a 17 per cent drop in allergy risk after the guideline changes. Among children without eczema or other major allergy risk factors, the decline was smaller, at around 2 per cent. Researchers believe this difference highlights the importance of early intervention among high-risk infants.
Scientists explain that the immune system develops rapidly during infancy. Introducing allergenic foods during this period may help the body recognise these foods as harmless. As a result, the immune system becomes more tolerant and is less likely to trigger an allergic reaction later in childhood.