There are two new products related to food allergy: SpoonfulOne and Hello, Peanut. It’s important to realize both are not for food allergy treatment, but are marketed for food allergy prevention. If your child has eczema, food allergy, or you suspect they may have a food allergy, please do not give either of these products to your child without discussing it first with your child’s doctor. Having said that, let’s look at each one a little more in-depth:
Hello, Peanut is specifically for peanut allergy prevention. It is a powder packet that you mix with other foods and introduce to your baby (minimum recommended age is 5 months). Peanut protein is increased over a few days until you reach a “maintenance” dose and they advise you to give you child the maintenance dose three times a week. The FDA recently approved this manufacturer’s petition for a qualified health claim linking early peanut introduction and the prevention of peanut allergies.
SpoonfulOne is a combination of the top 9 food allergens that currently account for more than 95% of food allergy cases in the US: peanut, tree nuts, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, wheat, soy and sesame. It is also a powder form, and their recommended age is 4 months or later. There is no dose escalation and it is taken daily.
At Austin Family Allergy, we understand the anxiety and concern parents may have about the introduction of potentially allergenic foods. While these products offer the promise of food allergy prevention, there are other less expensive options available. If you are concerned about food allergy, we encourage you to call us to discuss with us first, before consuming either of these 2 products. With proper testing and evaluation, we can help to ensure new foods are introduced in a safe manner.
Dr. Lieberman
