In this Healthy Living report, Time Warner Cable News’ Kristen Shaughnessy explains how introducing infants to peanuts can actually help reduce their risk of developing a peanut allergy. 

The Food Allergy Research and Education organization says peanut allergies are one of the most common food allergies, but one that many allergists believe is avoidable if healthy infants are given small amounts of peanuts in a suitable form from a very young age.

"The prevalence of peanut allergy has tripled over the last ten to fifteen years,” says Dr. David Erstein, a board-certified allergist. “Our thinking as to why this has happened is because recommendations about 10 to 15 years ago was to hold off on introducing infants to peanuts until they were about three years of age. And since, then you've seen that increase."      

A study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that babies given small amounts of peanuts at an early age had a much lower rate of peanut allergy than those who avoided nuts altogether for five years. Erstein says if you can prevent a food allergy it's worth a try, given the alternative.

"Typical allergic reactions that can happen after ingesting a food that you're allergic to can be rashes, hives, worsening eczema,” Erstein says. “Could be worsened issues like difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhea and severe reactions like anaphylaxis which is life threatening, throat closes up, it's a medical emergency."

Dr. Erstein says early introduction is now recommended for healthy babies.

"In terms of high risk infants, infants that have a family history of a food allergy, infants with eczema or infants that already have a food allergy like an egg allergy they should absolutely be assessed by their pediatrician or allergist prior any peanut introduction,” he says.