Controversial new guidelines recommend giving peanuts to at-risk kids

Australian allergy experts are supporting controversial new guidelines that recommend parents give peanuts to babies at high risk of a reaction.

Although a frightening concept for new parents, it could prevent their child from a lifetime of anxiety.

"It's awful, I wouldn't wish it upon my worst enemy. It's, it's yeah, you're constantly anxious," mother Jo Luff told 7 News.

Big brother James is constantly on guard in case three-year-old Alexander comes into contact with peanuts.

"I have to get the EpiPen and put it into him and ring zero zero zero... And I rarely eat peanuts with bread."

Now allergy experts have revealed they want to introduce controversial new guidelines after changes to recommendations from America.

The new advice would involve introducing peanuts to babies at high risk of an allergy to try to prevent a lifetime of anxiety.

But the problem in Australia, is the long wait to see a specialist which can be anywhere from six months to two yeas.

Without the assistance of a specialist, or even a GP, Jo would never risk re-introducing nuts to Alexander's diet.

"Having lived through three anaphylactic reactions, I'm too frightened to introduce nuts at home on my own with him."

Experts in Australia will discuss the changed advice when they meet in March.