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Baked egg home introduction

Please read the whole of this resource before starting a home introduction of baked egg. This resource should support you to do the baked egg introduction at home. This resource is only to be used as a guide. If your child has individual needs, your child’s dietitian or doctor will explain this for you.

Many children with egg allergy grow out of it in early life. As the allergy improves with time, many children will initially tolerate well-cooked (baked) egg products before they can eat lightly cooked or raw egg.

It is appropriate to try introducing baked egg at home in some children where there have only been mild reactions to egg, for example:

  • hives
  • swelling
  • acid reflux
  • flares of eczema

Children who have had more severe symptoms such as breathing difficulties or collapsing, will need to have their introduction done under hospital supervision.

You should introduce baked egg over a period of weeks, rather than over one day as you may have seen happening in hospital.

What foods should I introduce?

Start by baking small plain cupcakes (without icing) made with 1 egg to every 8 cupcakes (see recipes further down this resource).

Once your child can eat a whole cupcake (made with 1 egg to every 8 cakes), you must then do the same again, but this time with a cupcake made with 2 eggs to every 8 cakes (so it has more egg in each cake.) It is fine to use a savoury rather than sweet recipe.

You can also use plain shop-bought cupcakes (without icing or chocolate chips) as an alternative.

If you do not want to use cupcakes, instead you can use mini-potato cakes (see recipe further down this resource). Gradually up to 2 mini potato cakes in the same way you would with the cake.

How do I do the introduction?

If you child is unwell, do not start the introduction until they feel better.

Have child’s usual antihistamine medicine available just in case.

Week 1

  1. Begin by giving your child a small crumb of cake to eat. Watch them carefully for any sign of allergic reaction.
  2. Give them a small crumb every day for a week.

Week 2

  1. Give your child a pea-sized crumb of a cupcake once a day for 2 days
  2. Then move on to give them a 16th of a cupcake once a day for 2 days

Circle with 16th segment

  1. Then move on to give them an 8th of a cupcake once a day for 3 days

Circle with 8th segment

Week 3

  1. Give your child a quarter of a cupcake once a day for 7 days

Circle with 4th segment

Week 4

  1. Week 4: give your child half of a cupcake once a day on 3 occasions over the week

Circle with half segment

Week 5

  1. Week 5: give your child a whole cupcake once a day on 3 occasions over the week

Circle with whole segment

You may stay at each stage for longer than as shown above, but do not increase to the next “dose” more quickly. Try to give the dose every day. If you miss several days, such as if your child is unwell, give them a smaller dose when you restart and build up.

Do not increase the dose if your child is unwell. Keep them at the same dose that they have already been tolerating.

What if my child has a reaction?

Symptoms of a reaction usually occur up to 2 hours after the last dose. Signs of an allergic reaction to watch out for include:

  • itching
  • redness
  • swelling
  • hives (nettle-sting type rash)
  • being sick
  • wheezing

If you notice these, treat your child as per their allergy plan and stop introducing baked egg.

If your child gets mild tummy upset or eczema flare you can continue with the introduction, going up more slowly than above.


What do we do after the introduction?

Do not allow your child to eat any other foods containing egg until 1 whole cupcake (with 2 eggs in 8 cakes) or 2 potato-cakes are managed without a problem.

You can then introduce other well-baked egg foods such as:

  • sausages or Quorn baked in the oven
  • frozen Yorkshire puddings cooked in the oven
  • shop-bought scotch pancakes, waffles, brioche, croissants
  • breadsticks
  • bread made with egg such as Nimble, and some gluten-free breads such as Genius

Homemade pancakes, homemade Yorkshire puddings and brownies are not suitable as the egg is not cooked enough.

You can also give egg containing breadsticks and bread alongside other baked egg foods. However, as these only contain egg white, it is best to also make sure your child also has other baked egg foods with whole egg in regularly. This is to make sure your child can also tolerate eating baked egg yolk.

Start with small amounts of these new foods and build them up gradually. Once your child is freely eating baked egg foods you can also try them with egg pasta.

Aim for your child to eat baked egg 2 to 3 times a week. Do not worry if your child does not like to initially eat products with egg in, this is quite common.

We also have recipes for sausage rolls and burgers that we can share with you, just contact the Allergy nurses or dieticians if you would like a copy.


Recipes

Cupcakes

Ingredients for 1st stage cupcake recipe (1 egg in 8 cupcakes)

  • 1 medium egg
  • 100g self-raising flour
  • 100g margarine (or dairy free spread)
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence (optional)

Ingredients for 2nd stage cupcake recipe (2 eggs in 8 cupcakes)

  • 2 medium eggs
  • 100g self raising flour
  • 100g margarine (or dairy free spread)
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence (optional)

At either stage, 50g of flour can be swapped for 50g of cocoa to make chocolate cakes if you like.

Method for both cupcake recipes

  • Heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius
  • Beat together sugar and margarine in a bowl until smooth
  • Add egg and beat into mixture
  • Stir in flour gently with a metal spoon until fully mixed in
  • Lay out 8 muffin-cake cases in a baking tray and divide the mixture equally between these
  • Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until firm and golden and a fork pressed into the centre comes out clean

Mini-potato cakes

Ingredients

  • 225g leftover mashed potato (must be cold)
  • 40g plain flour (can use gluten free flour)
  • 1 medium egg, whisked
  • Salt and pepper
  • Panko Breadcrumbs (optional, but make a nice crispy coating. Can use gluten free breadcrumbs)
  • Cooking spray oil (optional)

Extra flavourings:

  • 60g cooked frozen peas
  • 50g cooked onion or leek
  • 30g finely grated cheese or dairy free cheese

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (180 degrees Celsius Fan, Gas mark 6)
  2. Oil a baking sheet
  3. In a bowl, mash the potato to loosen, then add the flour and whisked egg
  4. Season the mixture, add any extra flavourings, then mix until thoroughly combined
  5. Split the mix into 8 equal portions (use scales if available)
  6. Shape each portion into a ball
  7. If using, roll in Panko breadcrumbs until well covered
  8. Press lightly onto the oiled baking sheet making a round flat potato cake
  9. Spray the potato cakes with cooking spray oil for extra crispy coating
  10. Place the baking sheet on the middle shelf of the oven and cook for 30 minutes with Panko breadcrumbs, 25 minutes without

You can add seasonings if you would like.

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Disclaimer

Please note: this is a generic information sheet relating to care at Sheffield Children’s NHS FT. These details may not reflect treatment at other hospitals. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professionals’ instructions. If this resource relates to medicines, please read it alongside the medicine manufacturer’s patient information leaflet. If this information has been translated into another language from English, efforts have been made to maintain accuracy, but there may still be some translation errors. If you are unsure about any of the guidance in this resource or have specific questions about how it relates to your child, always ask your healthcare professional for further advice.

Resource number: ALG28

Resource Type: Article

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