This goes for most children, even those with a family history of allergies. Two exceptions are children with severe eczema, who should be tested for allergies before introducing allergens through food, and children with a known egg allergy, who should be tested before introducing peanut butter.
Otherwise, the risk of a bad reaction, such as anaphylactic shock, after first introducing a food in children under one year old is rare, Katari says. Parents can start with just a bit of an allergen at a time—roughly one-quarter of a teaspoon of thinned peanut butter, for example—and monitor children for ten minutes before introducing a full serving—two teaspoons of peanut butter, or 2 grams of protein based on what’s on a nutrition label, is a reasonable goal, Katari says.
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