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The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy infant feeding for allergy prevention guidelines

Preeti A Joshi, Jill Smith, Sandra Vale and Dianne E Campbell
Med J Aust 2019; 210 (2): . || doi: 10.5694/mja2.12102
Published online: 14 January 2019

Abstract

Introduction: The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, the peak professional body for clinical immunology and allergy in Australia and New Zealand, develops and provides information on a wide range of immune‐mediated disorders, including advice about infant feeding and allergy prevention for health professionals and families. Guidelines for infant feeding and early onset allergy prevention were published in 2016, with additional guidance published in 2017 and 2018, based on emerging evidence.

Main recommendations:

  • When the infant is ready, at around 6 months, but not before 4 months, start to introduce a variety of solid foods. (This is not a strict window of introduction but rather a recommendation not to delay the introduction of solid foods beyond 12 months.)
  • Introduce peanut and egg in the first year of life in all infants, regardless of their allergy risk factors.
  • Hydrolysed (partially and extensively) formula is no longer recommended for the prevention of allergic disease.

 

Changes in management a result of the guidelines: The guidelines specifically recommend introducing solid foods at around 6 months of age and introducing peanut and egg in the first year of life in all infants to prevent allergy development. Hydrolysed formula is no longer recommended for prevention of allergic disease. A new document outlining the reasons for and the method of peanut introduction to high risk infants is available for health professionals.


  • 1 Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Sydney, NSW
  • 2 The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, NSW
  • 3 University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW


Competing interests:

Preeti Joshi is currently the chair of the ASCIA paediatric committee and the deputy chair of the National Allergy Strategy allergy prevention project. Sandra Vale is coordinator of the National Allergy Strategy. Jill Smith is the ASCIA CEO and company secretary. Dianne Campbell was chair of the ASCIA paediatric committee from 2011 to 2017, has received funding for unrelated research from the NHMRC, the Allergy and Immunology Foundation of Australasia and the Australian Food Allergy Foundation, and has received travel expenses to attend investigator meetings from DBV Technologies.

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