Eggs for Children Below 1 Year Old?

I took Mei Mei aka my little princess Rachel for the MMR jab last week. I just recalled that the doc asked me what I thought was a strange question. He asked if I had been feeding eggs to my little girl? I wasn't sure as most of the time, I leave it to my maid to take care of my girl. And he asked if I'm 'pantang' against eggs for kids below 1 year. Really puzzled. I'm one of the most UN pantang person and I said so. I didn't quite understand what he meant as he didn't explain in further details. I just remembered and decided to googled it up. Oh yes... the world wide web... what can't you find on www??

Here are some extracts from www.wholesomebabyfood.com.

"Eggs are one of the top 8 of all allergens. It is the white of the egg that is allergenic and not the yolk. Many pediatricians will say that egg yolks are typically fine to be introduced to baby around 8 months old. It is very rare for anyone to be allergic to the yolk of an egg. The egg whites on the other hand, contain 4 proteins that can range from mildly to highly allergenic. Most pediatricians say that egg whites/whole eggs should not be fed to baby before 1 year of age. Many studies that have been done on infants with egg allergies find that by the time the infant has reached age 5, the allergy has been outgrown. This is good news as the egg is highly nutritious and an important part of ones diet. As always, you should consult your pediatrician about specific feeding habits for your infant. There are many infants to whom generalities may not apply."

"As is the process of any allergic reaction, the egg allergy occurs when the body mistakes an egg protein as a harmful invader. The body reacts by releasing antibodies called immunoglobulin E(IgE). The IgE in turn prompts the body to release chemicals known as histamines. When the histamines are released, the body reacts by producing symptoms such as runny nose, itchy eyes, a skin rash and in severe cases, anaphylaxis. Diagnosing an egg allergy in an infant is really hit or miss and that is why it is very important to follow the 4 Day Wait Rule when introducing your baby to new foods. If you feel that your baby may have an egg allergy, you may want to begin an Allergy Elimination Diet to determine if the suspect is indeed an egg."

"It is the protein ovalbumin, which is the major allergen and it makes up fifty percent of an egg white. The yolk of a hen's egg also contains proteins however these proteins are seldom allergens."

"If your family has a history of egg allergies, then it is best to wait until after 12 months old to introduce egg yolks. There are ways of preparing egg yolks so that the white is not eaten however it is possible that some of the egg white protein may still be on the yolk itself.

Many pediatricians will say that using a whole egg in a baked good recipe (for the non-allergic baby/child) is fine for the infant who is between 8-9 months old. If your baby has had any reactions to foods that you are sure of, it is probably best to use a substitute for eggs in the recipes."

"What are some symptoms of an egg allergy -

Allergic rhinitis, Asthma, Dermatitis, Diarrhea, Gastrointestinal symptoms, hives, Nausea

Oral allergy syndrome (symptoms appear around the mouth, lips and throat), Vomiting, Wheezing, Anaphylaxis."

Please visit the site for more info. I just extracted some info here and there from the site which is enough for my reference. The site is pretty detailed.

Sigh..Now I know why.... blur or what :(