Introducing solid foods is an exciting milestone in your baby's first year. It marks the beginning of a new chapter where your child explores different flavors and textures. However, this journey isn't always smooth sailing. If your baby experienced a rash, diarrhea, choking, or an allergic reaction after trying a new food, it’s essential to be informed and vigilant. Seeking immediate medical care may be paramount.
How to Introduce New Foods
The way families introduce solid foods varies vastly depending on values, culture, lifestyle, and more! The main things we want to encourage families to do is to start solid food introduction no earlier than 6 months old and only introduce a new food every few days. Introducing solid foods too early may increase your baby’s risks of developing food allergies. By not introducing multiple new foods at the same time, if your baby does experience a reaction of some sort, you know exactly what offending food is causing the problem. For more detailed information, we recommend the World Health Organization’s Guide Book on Introducing Complimentary Foods and the Solid Starts App.
Rashes
This is one of the most common reactions babies might have to new foods. A skin rash can indicate a food sensitivity or an allergic reaction. If you notice hives, red patches, or eczema-like symptoms on your baby’s skin, it's crucial to note which food caused it and discuss it with your pediatrician before trying to re-introduce that food.
Diarrhea
Diarrhea can result from various factors, including a sensitivity to a particular food or simply the body's adjustment to digesting something new. Consistent occurrences after consuming a specific food item can indicate an intolerance or allergy. Discuss any consistent bouts of diarrhea with your pediatrician.
Choking
Coughing and gagging are not always choking; coughing and gagging are protective reflexes and commonly occur when introducing new foods. Choking is defined as an airway that is partially or completely blocked. Symptoms of choking include: the baby cannot cry or make noises, the baby’s lips or skin turns blue, the baby is breathing harder or louder than usual or can’t breathe, the baby waves their arms and appears to be panicking, the baby’s body goes limp, or the baby goes unconscious. A choking baby needs to be responded to immediately by an adult trained in choking rescue - call emergency rescue services immediately. While choking can be attributed to the baby adjusting to new textures, it’s also possible that the food was not appropriately sized or prepared for safely. It's essential always to ensure that solid foods are soft and appropriately prepared for your baby's developmental stage to prevent choking hazards. If your baby is coughing and gagging very frequently, discuss this with your pediatrician as this could be an indication that your baby could benefit from speech therapy.
Allergic Reactions
Beyond skin rashes, severe allergic reactions can manifest as swelling of the face, lips, or tongue, difficulty breathing, or even anaphylaxis, a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention. If any of these signs are evident after introducing a new food, call emergency rescue services or go to an emergency room immediately.
Next Steps
These reactions may indicate the need for a more cautious approach and perhaps some adjustments. Always introduce one food at a time, waiting a few days before adding another. This makes it easier to pinpoint any potential allergens or irritants.
Finally, always trust your instincts. If something doesn’t seem right after your baby consumes a new food, don't hesitate to reach out to your pediatrician or another health care provider. Your baby's health and safety are paramount, and it's always better to be safe than sorry.
Sources:
Guiding principles for complementary feeding of the breastfed child,
1 January 2003. ISBN: 92-75-12460-4. Link for download.
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). (2018). Starting Solid Foods.
Joseph CL, Ownby DR, Havstad SL, Woodcroft KJ, Wegienka G, MacKechnie H, Zoratti E, Peterson EL, Johnson CC. Early complementary feeding and risk of food sensitization in a birth cohort. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2011 May;127(5):1203-10.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2011.02.018.
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