Allergy-Free Kids - by Robin Nixon Pompa (Paperback)

About the Book

Originally published in hardcover in 2017 by William Morrow.

Book Synopsis

Based on recent groundbreaking studies that will change the way parents feed their children, Allergy-Free Kids is a revolutionary guide to preventing food allergies.

When her infant daughter was diagnosed with life-threatening food allergies, Robin Nixon Pompa found Dr. Gideon Lack, a clinical researcher on the verge of a breakthrough in allergy prevention and treatment that would heal her daughter and, later, her sons.

The secret: building acceptance of allergens through repeated careful feedings. Instead of avoiding eggs, nuts, and other allergens, as previous recommendations held, most parents should introduce them into their children's diets, "early, carefully and often, for at least the first five years of life." This life-changing approach is being embraced by the medical community, especially for peanut allergy, and is reflected in new guidelines from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the National Institutes of Health and other major medical associations.

Allergy-Free Kids includes a concise, easy-to-understand overview of the research as well as seventy simple and delicious kid-friendly recipes to help parents integrate unfamiliar allergen foods into a child's diet. Divided by allergen, Allergy-Free Kids contains sections on Eggs, Peanuts and Tree Nuts, Cow's Milk, Sesame, Wheat and Fish. It also discusses other foods, such as kiwi and soy, which are increasingly causing allergic reactions. The book includes feeding advice, and maintenance doses, followed by recipes suitable for babies, toddlers and preschoolers, including Open Sesame Sweet Potatoes, Nut Flour Crackers, Cocoa "Puffs" and Eggs-Pretending-to-be-Muffins.

Following the new medical guidelines, Allergy-Free Kids empowers parents to help their kids avoid a lifelong struggle with food allergies--and bring variety and joy back to family meals.

From the Back Cover

Based on recent groundbreaking studies, a revolutionary guide to preventing food allergies

When her infant daughter was diagnosed with life-threatening food allergies, Robin Nixon Pompa sought the advice of Dr. Gideon Lack, a clinical researcher on the verge of a breakthrough in allergy prevention and treatment that would heal Robin's daughter and, later, her sons.

Instead of avoiding eggs, nuts, and other allergens, as previous recommendations held, most parents should feed these foods to their children "early, carefully, and often," until they are at least five years old. This life-changing approach is being embraced by the medical community, and is reflected in new advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics; the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology; and other major medical institutions.

Allergy-Free Kids includes a concise, easy-to-understand overview of the research, as well as 70 simple and delicious kid-friendly recipes to help parents integrate unfamiliar allergen foods into a child's diet. Organized by allergen, Allergy-Free Kids contains sections on eggs, peanuts and tree nuts, dairy, sesame, wheat, and fish. It also discusses other foods, such as kiwi and soy, which have increasingly been causing allergic reactions. The book includes feeding advice and maintenance doses, followed by recipes suitable for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers, such as Open Sesame Sweet Potato Puree, Nut Flour Crackers, and Eggs Pretending to Be Muffins.

Following the new medical guidelines, Allergy-Free Kids empowers parents to help their kids avoid a lifelong struggle with food allergies--and to bring variety and joy back to family meals.

Review Quotes

"Pompa introduces fascinating new ideas about allergy avoidance in this helpful and reassuring guide for parents... A detailed, informative primer on promising, if not yet conclusively proven, theories." - Publishers Weekly
"As a mother of small children at continued risk for food allergies, I have experienced firsthand how powerful and revolutionary Allergy-Free Kids can be for families around the world. It's filled with simple strategies and kid-friendly recipes that will help empower parents to take charge of their kids' health and prevent the possibly life-long challenge of food allergies." - Catherine McCord, author of Weelicious
"Introduce foods early and often' is the latest recommendation in the food-allergy world. This book is a masterpiece of writing that provides evidence-based advice on how to follow the most up-to-date recommendations and also provides delicious recipes that kids love!" - Whitney Morgan Block, MSN, CPNP, FNP-BC, Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy & Asthma Research
"If I could rewrite my own book, the one piece of advice I would change would be exactly what this book is about. Pediatricians (including me) were wrong. Allergy-Free Kids is timely, revolutionary, and absolutely necessary." - Lara Zibners, MD, author of Even if Your Kids Eat This Book, Everything Will Be Okay
"Robin Pompa manages to articulate the complex science behind food allergies with both clarity and compassion. Her personal journey with her food-allergic children and her empathy for others in the same situation translates to a compelling and timely story. For expecting parents, new parents, and parents of food-allergic children, Allergy-Free Kids is a must read." - JJ Levenstein, MD, FAAP, pediatrician