9 Tips For Lowering Baby's Risk Of Developing Eczema and Food Allergies

If you're worried about your baby developing eczema and food allergies, you are not alone.

These conditions are on the rise, and they can significantly and negatively affect the quality of life and health of your child, and your entire family.

There are strategies that can help lower the risk that your baby will develop eczema and food allergies. Here are my top 9!

1. While pregnant and breastfeeding, mom can eat a varied and healthy diet (whole, real foods) that includes the top allergens (as long as mom isn't allergic).

2. While pregnant and breastfeeding, mom can eat lots of omega-3-rich fish (salmon, halibut, mackerel) and other sources of omegas like flax and chia seeds, and avocados. Taking omega-3 supplements that contain DHA and EPA can help.

3. While pregnant and breastfeeding, mom can supplement with vitamin D. Levels should be checked pre-conception and in early pregnancy with supplementation adjusted accordingly, and go for follow-up blood tests after 3 months.

4. What's happening in your gut will impact your baby's risk of developing allergic conditions and their overall health. Check gut health, preferably pre-conception, and address existing imbalances. If you have gut problems, now is the time to address them! If you are pregnant, you can explore what's happening in your gut; options for addressing identified imbalances however aren't as robust.

5. While pregnant and breastfeeding, and during infancy for your baby (and ongoing), supplement with a probiotic, like MegaSporeBiotic. It can be taken during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and given to your baby. Get your MegaSporeBiotic HERE.

6. Moms and moms-to-be, get your nutrient levels checked, preferably pre-conception. You are growing a human. Your body needs fuel to do this and everything else it’s supposed to. Take a prenatal and supplement additionally where needed based on your test results.

7. Introduce solids to your baby on time, which for most is by 6 months. Introducing solids too soon or later increases the risk of developing food allergies. If there isn't an existing allergy, introduce the top allergens to your baby during this time too. Keeping these out unnecessarily increases the risk of developing an allergy to them.

8. If your baby has eczema, it's even more vital that allergenic foods are introduced on time, as long as there isn't an existing allergy to them. Those with eczema have an even greater risk of developing food allergies.

9. Lower your stress levels. Research points to a higher risk of children developing eczema if their mothers are exposed to stress during pregnancy. Stress factors include perceived and psychological stress before conception, prenatal anxiety and/or depression, adverse life events, and work-related stress during pregnancy. It’s also been found that babies can pick up on their mother’s stress and show corresponding changes in their bodies.

References

• doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i6685

• https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/allergy-prevention/ascia-how-to-introduce-solid-foods-to-babies

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5876940/

• https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797613518352

Picky Eaters and Supplement Takers - Top Tips!

Photo credit: Jennifer Brand

Picky Eaters

Did you know it can take multiple introductions of a single food before a taste is developed for it?

It can take 10, 20, 100, or even more tries of a food before it’s accepted. Don’t give up just because it didn’t work the first, second, or tenth time. And keep in mind that your baby develops his taste patterns by 9 months old, so you’ve only got a few months to prevent picky eating habits!

Now I’ll explain this picture. This is my dad. He’s a picky eater. He always has been. When he was a child, if he didn’t like something, my grandma never had him try it again.

I think I finally rubbed off on him. He’s recently eaten kale chips, and Brussels sprouts, and admitted they weren’t horrible!

We went out to dinner, and guess what?! Here’s dad, eating a BBQ chicken sandwich. If you know my dad, you know this is huge (he once told me ketchup is spicy). He really enjoyed the sandwich. If I can get my dad to eat new foods, I know you can get your child to! Here are some strategies that can help:

1. Remember you are in charge. YOU decide what your child needs to eat. It’s up to you to make sure his/her diet contains all the nutrients he/she needs to grow, develop, repair, function, and thrive.

2. Keep offering the food you want your picky eater to eat. It doesn’t need to get eaten (so offer small amounts). Simply exposing your child to new foods is an important part of the process. It is ok for your child to pick up the food, play with it and feel it. This helps him get used to it.

3. Offer soft foods cut up in small pieces, and cut them smaller than you think is necessary, avoiding anything that might be a choking hazard.

4. Give your child a spoon and let him feed himself. Giving him control may encourage him to eat a few bites.

5. Offer new foods when your child is truly hungry. If he’s just eaten or snacked, there won’t be a lot of motivation to try something new.

6. Prepare meals with your picky eater as your co-chef! Give him a few bites of new foods while you are preparing them so he can get familiar with them.

7. Take your picky eater to a store that gives out samples like Whole Foods or Costco, and you might be surprised at what he’ll try!

8. Children are very impressionable and are great imitators. They will be more likely to want what you are eating, and to avoid foods you show disgust or lack of interest in when trying.

9. If you give them healthy foods, they will eat, and learn to enjoy them.

10. Having separate menus for different family members encourages habits we don’t want, and it’s too much unnecessary work. If your child has celiac disease and can’t eat gluten, to support him the whole family also should follow the same plan.

11. Experiment with introducing foods that have different tastes, smells, and textures. Some children are sensitive to the taste, smell, or texture of different foods. If you think your picky eater may have a sensitivity or anatomical issue contributing to the problem, talk to a professional to rule out medical issues that make it hard to swallow or digest certain foods.

12. Most importantly… DON’T GIVE UP!

For additional tips, check out one of my favorite resources, Kids Eat In Color! There is also a fantastic Instagram account for this resource.

Picky Supplement Takers

Getting your child to take supplements can be challenging, and it can take some time to find a rhythm. Even then, your child might “change their mind,” and it’s back to the drawing board. The good news is there are countless creative ways to help your child take their supplements.

Here are some strategies that can help:

1. Let your child choose. Giving them some control can go a long way. Let them decide:

   • How they take it (for example, mixed in food, from a spoon, chew it, water, juice)

   • When they take it (for example, before or after a bath)

   • Where they take it (for example, at the table, while watching TV, in the bathroom)

   • If they need help (always supervise regardless)

2. Avoid choking. You may need to divide doses into smaller portions. Your child should be in an upright position. If using a syringe to squirt supplements into the mouth, aim for the lower cheek, not the back of the throat. Let your child swallow between squirts.

3. Explain why the supplements are essential. For example, tell your child they will help their skin get better and stop itching so they can sleep better, and do whatever else they might be missing out on or having to work around because of the problem.

4. Stay positive! Praise your child when they take their supplements.

5. Give them a sticker every time they take their supplements, and after each week, let them exchange their stickers for a prize (for example, a small toy, a bit more screen time, let them play outside longer, or stay up later). Caution with this strategy because it can promote the idea that there is a reward attached to everything.

6. Choose the right product. Supplements can be available in chewable, liquid, and powder forms mixed with foods and beverages. Many capsules can also be opened and mixed. Check with your practitioner for options and if it’s ok to open capsules to consume the contents.

7. Get creative. Maybe your child wants to take supplements from a special cup or spoon. Let them role-play and give their supplements to you, a doll, or a stuffed animal.

8. Turn supplement-taking into a game!

   • If your child is upset that they are the only one that has to “take something gross,” make yourself a cup of tea (like ginger turmeric or something else that doesn't smell like rainbows and cotton candy ;)), and race to see who finishes first!

   • Tell your child a story, and every time you say a certain word, like “bear,” “prince,” or “princess,” etc., have them take a sip of their supplement concoction.

9. Mix supplements in food. Not hot or cold, but somewhere in between. Extreme temperatures can destroy supplements (they won’t work).

10. Alternate. Give your child a little of the supplement and then a bite of something they like. Repeat this until they take the full dose.

11. Offer realistic quantities. We want your child to get all the benefits from the supplements. Therefore, we need them to take the full dose (as often as possible), so put them in smaller quantities of food, smoothies, or beverages.

12. Show your child that YOU don’t think the supplements are gross. Have some with your child. However, check with your practitioner to ensure it’s ok and safe for you to take them first.

13. If your child won’t take the supplements, vomits, or spits them out, contact your practitioner to see if you should try another dose. Some supplements don’t matter if a little extra gets in. With others, it does matter.

14. Most importantly… DON’T GIVE UP!

What To Mix Supplements in

1. Make a smoothie

2. Freeze the smoothie to make “ice cream” and/or in smaller portions like popsicles or ice cube “treats”

3. Applesauce, other pureed fruits or vegetables

4. Yogurt

5. Water, juice, milk, tea

6. Offer on a spoon with honey, maple syrup, olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil

7. Squirt in the mouth with a syringe (aim for the lower cheek)

8. Sprinkle on any foods (especially unflavored supplements)

9. Mix in cereal (oatmeal, chia seed pudding, porridge)

10. Because of the different flavors or textures, experiment with mixing them and separating them out

What to avoid

1. Extra stress and anxiety! If trying to get your child to take their supplements is causing more stress and anxiety, stop. Put it aside and revisit it another day.

2. Forcing it may worsen the behavior and lead to an unhealthy relationship with food.

3. Nagging, trying to make a deal to have just a bite or two, or promising dessert teaches that there is a reward attached to everything.

 References

https://parenting.stackexchange.com/questions/7235/how-to-get-a-toddler-to-start-chewing-and-eating-solids

Brown J. Nutrition through the Life cycle 4th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth; 2011.

https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/94/suppl_6/2006S/4598037

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666314001573

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/apa.12078

https://www.chla.org/blog/rn-remedies/nine-stress-free-tips-giving-your-child-medicine

Introducing Solid Foods

Photo credit: life is fantastic

Ideally, babies should be breastfed exclusively for about the first 6 months of life. Breast milk provides all the calories and nutrients your baby needs. Formula does as well if breastfeeding is not possible.

Around 6 months, start introducing solids. Some babies may be ready for solid foods a bit sooner (4-6 months) and others a bit later (6-8 months). As with all milestones (sitting, eating solids, crawling, etc.), remember that everyone is on their own timeline. Go by your baby’s queues, not the clock.

If breastfeeding, continue for at least the first year of life and beyond if possible and appropriate for you and your baby. If on formula, your baby can continue it until about 12 months of age.

Introducing solids too early or too late can make a difference. Introducing solids before 4 months of age can increase the risk of choking and cause your baby to drink less breast milk than needed.

Late introduction of solid foods after 7 months may increase the risk of food allergies.

Six months is the starting window because human milk provides all the nutrients babies need for about the first 6 months of life.

At about 6 months of age, the iron stored in your baby's liver during pregnancy is used up, and iron-rich foods such as animal proteins need to be added to the diet. It is around this age that most babies show signs they are ready for solid foods.

When your baby has eczema, it can be confusing, and often terrifying, to introduce solid foods.

It doesn't need to be. Introduce solid foods with 3 goals in mind:

• Adequate nutrition for growth and development

• Introduce allergenic foods as long as your baby doesn't have an identified IgE allergy to them. Keeping them out can increase the risk of developing allergies to them, and the risk is greater when there are rashes because sensitization can happen through a broken skin barrier.

• Teach your baby to eat different flavors and textures. Encourage your picky eater to try new foods, and let your baby play with the food!

The first foods you pick are important:

• Iron and zinc can be limited in breastfed babies. Think meat, poultry, and fish. Beans, whole grains, mashed or pureed sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, bananas, peaches, avocados, pears, apples, and green vegetables have smaller amounts of iron (and zinc). Your child can’t have healthy skin if they are low in iron and zinc. These two nutrients are critical for healthy skin.

• Include sources of healthy fats like avocado, nut butters, grass-fed butter, ghee, and healthy oils like olive, avocado, and coconut. Fatty fish like salmon, halibut, and mackerel are loaded with healthy fats and are good sources of omega 3s DHA and EPA. Healthy fats are important for skin, gut, and brain health.

• Include a rainbow assortment of vegetables and fruits so that your baby learns to enjoy different tastes and textures. Vegetables and fruits are rich in antioxidant nutrients, which are important for combating the oxidative stress that leads to inflammation, a trigger for rashes like eczema.

More tips for solid introductions:

• If there are identified IgE allergies, talk to your healthcare provider first for guidance.

• First meals may be small, with about 5 – 6 baby spoons of food.

• First meals may last about 10 minutes and should be based on your baby’s interest.

• It can take multiple tries of a food before your baby takes to it. It can take 10, 20, 30, or more tries of the same food. Don't give up! Persistence and patience will go a long way.

• Make mealtime enjoyable. Limit distractions, stay off the phone, turn off the TV, serve age-appropriate portions, and eat with your child.

More on those allergens:

Studies show introducing some of the common allergens during year 1 can help prevent food allergies. Data is strongest for peanuts. There is also data showing introducing eggs may prevent the development of egg allergy. Discuss it with your pediatrician!

With any new food, watch for allergic reactions (hives, rashes, vomiting, wheezing, trouble breathing).

References:

How to get a toddler to start eating solids

Brown J. Nutrition through the Life cycle 4th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth; 2011.

Introducing solids too early or too late

Nutrition in Later Infancy and Toddlerhood

https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/nutritionscience/chapter/11c-later-infancy-toddlerhood/