Allergy Prevention Project launches aiming to “Nip Allergies in the Bub”

The National Allergy Strategy yesterday launched the national roll out of the Food Allergy Prevention Project, known as “Nip Allergies in the Bub”. 

The project aims to: 

• Encourage parents to introduce the common allergy causing foods to their baby within the first year of life;

• Provide information and support to help parents feed their baby the common allergy causing foods;

• Provide an information and support line to help answer any questions parents may have about feeding their baby the common allergy causing foods, including questions from health professionals;

• Provide information and support to help parents manage their baby’s eczema to help prevent food allergy developing;

• Provide information and support for health professionals about current infant feeding recommendations to prevent babies developing food allergy;

• Provide information and support for health professionals about optimising eczema management to prevent food allergy developing;

• Provide answers to frequently asked questions about how to prevent food allergy.

In so doing, the project will also help parents, educators and allied health professionals to implement the ASCIA guidelines for infant feeding and allergy prevention.

The Nip Allergies in the Bub website and associated resources being piloted over the past year in Western Australia. Feedback about the resources has been collected and improvements made to the resources where required.

Alongside the online resources, face-to-face education for general practitioners, child maternal health nurses and pharmacists has been provided to inform and support health professionals. In preparation for the national roll-out, education sessions for general practitioners have been provided in most states.

More information about the project, and access to associated resources may be found here.