Food allergies have become a public health concern, with up to 10.8% of adults and 6-8% of children believed to be food allergic. Health professionals—from family doctors and physician assistants to nurse practitioners and registered dietitians—have an important role to play in reducing the risk of developing food allergies in the next generation.
In this webinar – which qualifies for continuing education accreditation – watch Theresa R. Jacobs, M.D., FAAFP, Sherry Coleman Collins, MS, RDN, LD and Dr. JJ Levenstein, M.D., FAAP, address the science behind early introduction, share evidence-based recommendations and practical tips around infant feeding, and demonstrate how family physicians and other health professionals can champion the effort to reduce the prevalence of food allergies. Below are some key takeaways the webinar will offer:
- Introducing potential allergens early to infants is safe and may reduce the risk of developing food allergies. Guidelines recommend proactively introducing peanut foods starting at 4-6 months, based on risk.
- Use the evidence to evaluate risk and refer to allergist as needed.
- Encourage confident feeding behavior for parents.
- Help make introducing potential allergens a normal part of infant feeding.
- Beginning solid foods is about more than nutrition, it is also about developmental milestones and allergy prevention.
For more than a decade, parents were told to delay the introduction of allergenic foods, such as peanut, egg, and milk, to their babies. However, in 2015, the groundbreaking LEAP study was published proving that early introduction of peanut foods reduced the risk of developing peanut allergies in high-risk infants by up to 86%. This led to significant changes in infant feeding recommendations and guidelines. However, recent surveys show many health professionals are not implementing these guidelines accurately or fully.
Download a PDF of the webinar slides here.
How to claim CE credits:
- Watch the recorded video above
- Complete the evaluation: https://survey.zohopublic.com/zs/4ZCh3G
- Details will be sent to you regarding how to claim your credit
Continuing Education Accreditation:
- The AAFP has reviewed First Bites: What to Know About the Early Introduction of Food Allergens and deemed it acceptable for up to 1.00 Online Only, Live AAFP Prescribed credit. Term of Approval is from 11/11/2020 to 11/11/2021. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
- PAs may claim a maximum of 1.0 Category 1 credits for completing this activity. NCCPA accepts AAFP Prescribed Credit.
- Approved for 1.0 CPEU by CDR