Language barriers delay early peanut introduction for many infants

Feeding peanut products to infants early in life is one of the best tools doctors have to help prevent peanut allergy. A new study being presented at the 2026 Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) suggests that families who don't speak English may be missing out on this protection.

Research shows that introducing peanut foods to babies around 4 to 6 months of age can significantly lower their chances of developing a peanut allergy later. In the U.S., doctors now recommend early peanut introduction as a standard part of infant care. But little was known about whether all families are getting this message equally, especially those who speak a language other than English at home.

Early peanut introduction is one of the few tools we have to actually prevent a food allergy before it starts, so it matters that every family has equal access to this guidance, regardless of the language they speak at home. Our findings suggest that language, on its own, is a barrier. This isn't about families not caring about their child's health - it's about making sure our medical guidance actually reaches every family in a way they can understand and act on."

James Senter, MD, MPH, lead author and ACAAI member

Researchers reviewed medical records for 3,170 children seen at two pediatric primary care clinics within a large U.S. children's hospital between 2021 and 2026. This included 240 children from families who spoke a language other than English at home, representing 25 different languages.

• Overall, only about 28% of babies had peanut foods introduced by their 6-month checkup, and about 68% had it introduced by their 9-month checkup.
• Families who spoke a language other than English were far less likely to have started peanut foods by 6 months, and still less likely by 9 months, even after researchers accounted for other factors like income and neighborhood.
• This gap did not close over time. Non-English-speaking families were not "catching up" between the 6-month and 9-month visits any more than English-speaking families were.

This study suggests that clinics may need better tools to reach non-English-speaking families. Closing this gap could help make sure that every child, regardless of the language spoken at home, gets the same chance of avoiding a peanut allergy.