Q. My daughter is allergic to peanuts, and her doctor says she'll probably never be able to have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches again. I just read this could have been due to her eating this too early in life. Is this true?

A. Yes. The American College of Asthma, Allergy & Immunology issued new guidelines just last month on introducing solid foods in an infant's diet to avoid allergies. During the first six months of life, they recommended exclusive breast-feeding — no baby or table foods or cow's milk. Not even formula, soy or anything else. This will reduce allergies, asthma, and eczema (a dry, itchy rash) in childhood and beyond.

The American Academy of Pediatrics agrees, adding that breast milk also protects against meningitis, ear infections, diarrhea and respiratory infections, and that introducing solids before 6 months does not increase growth and only substitutes foods that lack the protective ingredients of human milk.

Breastfeeding should be continued for at least the first year of life and beyond, for as long as mutually desired by mother and child. During the first six months of age, water and juice are unnecessary for breastfed infants, even in hot climates. And we should be cautious about introducing certain risky foods, such as cow's milk, eggs, fish and nuts, too soon. In fact, if either parent has bad allergies, eczema or asthma, then cow's milk and other dairy products should be avoided for the first year of life; eggs should not be given until age 2; and peanuts, tree nuts, fish and other seafood should be avoided until age 3.

Other foods can also cause allergies if introduced too early, so foods should be introduced one at a time in small amounts. Mixed foods containing different things should not be given unless you know that your child had previously done fine with each ingredient.

And did you know that cow's milk has a toxic effect on the intestine if too much is given too soon, causing blood loss and severe anemia? Again: Don't give any cow's milk before age 1. Use only whole milk — not reduced-fat or nonfat — during the second 12 months of life, and limit it to 16 ounces a day, given as four 4-ounce servings a day from a cup. At age 2, switch from whole milk to 2 percent milk; you can increase the limit to 24 ounces a day.

Only 20 percent of kids will outgrow peanut, nut or seafood allergies. If you want your keiki to enjoy poke, pizza and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as an adult, then don't let them eat these too soon.

Dr. Landis Lum is a family-practice physician for Kaiser Permanente and an associate clinical professor at the University of Hawai'i John A. Burns School of Medicine. Send your questions to: Prescriptions, Island Life, The Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802; islandlife@honoluluadvertiser.com; or fax 535-8170. This column is not intended to provide medical advice.