Description

Potential Allergens and allergies

• Egg (albumin)
  
• Peanut butter (peanuts)
  
• Fish (iodine)

Only introduce the above foods into your child’s diet from 9 months – under controlled circumstances – have an anti-histamine syrup available.

Symptoms of allergy:

• blotchy, ‘wheel-like’ rash around mouth extending to chest within 20 minutes of ingesting food
  
• projectile vomiting
  
• facial swelling

These symptoms should subside within 20 minutes of anti-histamine being administered
Wait one month before trying that food again.

Trouble getting your baby to feed:

• give your baby a toy/spoon to play with – this will distract him/her so that you can hopefully get a spoonful into the mouth
  
• play games, make her laugh – once her mouth is open move quickly to fill it with a spoonful of food
  
• mix the fruit in with the meat/ vegetables – babies often prefer sweeter foods
  
• if he/she is gagging, check the consistency of the food and maybe add 1 tsp of water  – DO NOT PUREE babies are very quick to manipulate!
  
• From 8 – 9 months, when they are wanting to feed themselves, entice them with a range of different coloured finger foods on their platePraise your child for eating a range of foods rather than focusing on quantity