Donations to the AAP supported a public health campaign that transformed the way parents introduce peanut products to babies.

It’s such a burden to live with the fear of accidentally consuming an allergen. But a recent study shows the power of public health campaigns to shift parent behavior and slash the number of families living with that fear. That transformation happened because of the support of donors like you.

 

Fast Fact

After the AAP updated its guidelines on peanut introduction in 2017, about 57,000 fewer young children developed food allergies over the next three years.

Fast Fact

During the same period, peanut dropped from the top allergen to the second most common allergen, behind eggs.

Fast Fact

Donor support funded a far-reaching educational campaign to share the updated guidelines with parents and pediatricians.

It’s been 10 years since the groundbreaking Learning Early about Peanut Allergy (LEAP) study showed that introducing peanut products early reduced the risk of developing peanut allergies. In response, the American Academy of Pediatrics updated its guideline in 2017 around peanut introduction.

We’re now seeing the real-world impact of that recommendation and the public health campaign that followed.

Gifts to the AAP mean fewer kids are developing life-threatening food allergies.

Roughly 57,000 fewer children under 3 developed food allergies between 2017 and 2020 than in prior years, according to a study published October 20 in Pediatrics. What’s more, peanut dropped from the most common allergen to the number two slot, behind eggs.

“I can actually come to you today and say there are less kids with food allergy today than there would have been if we hadn't implemented this public health effort," Dr. David Hill, one of the study’s authors and a pediatric allergist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, told AP News.

You were instrumental in that effort. It was a heavy lift to convince parents to start feeding their babies peanut products after they’d heard for years it could be dangerous. Donor support funded pediatrician training, webinars, articles on HealthyChildren.org and handouts distributed in pediatrician offices—an educational blitz to change both pediatrician and parent behavior.

Because of gifts to the AAP, nearly 60,000 more families eat without worry.

It is deeply gratifying to see this scale of impact. The work continues, of course—we have more pediatricians to train and more parents to reach.

But these results show what’s possible when we follow science, communicate effectively, and come together to support a goal. Thank you for being part of the movement.

Here are just some of the ways donor support has enabled pediatrician and parent education:

How and When to Introduce Peanuts

Social media resources help explain to parents the most up-to-date guidelines and research surrounding peanut allergies in children.

Preventing Peanut Allergies: Talking Points for the Pediatrician

This webinar series gives pediatricians practical guidance and evidence-based insights to help parents better understand manage peanut allergies.

Can Eczema Predict Allergies to Foods Like Peanuts? Tips for Introducing Foods to Babies

​Dr. Michael Pistiner joins host Dr. Bracho-Sanchez to discuss peanut allergies and the link between eczema and allergies. He shares tips about introducing new foods to infants and what to do if your child has a family history of peanut allergies.

Make Your Gift to the AAP Today

Join donors across the country who are committed to advancing children’s health. Your gift to the AAP Friends of Children Fund supports programs that help kids everywhere live their healthiest lives. 

Last Updated

01/20/2026

Source

American Academy of Pediatrics