Babies and Seafood

Question: Is it okay for a 17-month-old to eat clam dip or any other seafood?

Dr. Greene:  The two main concerns regarding feeding seafood to young children are that of potential allergy development and mercury exposure.

More than 90 percent of food allergies come from just a few sources: eggs, dairy, nuts, peanuts, wheat, fish, and shellfish. There is controversy about the best age at which to introduce nuts, peanuts, fish, and shellfish because unlike other food allergies, these allergies often last for a lifetime. The official recommendation is to wait to introduce these foods until after the first birthday, but some allergists are now recommending as late as 3 years, especially if there are food allergies in the family.

Certain seafoods can carry a high level of mercury and other industrial contaminants that may affect a young child's developing nervous system. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have published wonderful information on safe seafood consumption for children. The Smart Fish Calculator is another great resource. It calculates the safe amounts of different seafood by the child's (or parent's) body weight.

Seafood is an excellent source of nutrition and these concerns should not deter one from feeding seafood to children altogether. Fish are rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids, as well as protein and vitamin D. However, waiting until the child is at least one year of age is prudent to avoid allergies. Using the information from the EPA/FDA website and others regarding the best choice of seafood for your child will encourage excellent nutrition while avoiding unnecessary exposure to mercury and other contaminants.

Alan Greene MD FAAP

January 09, 2003

Reviewed by Khanh-Van Le-Bucklin MD February 2006

Revised by Alan Greene, MD, FAAP, February 6, 2006