Khorasan wheat (Kamut)

Khorasan wheat can start when your baby is ready for solids, usually around 6 months. It is also sold as Kamut, a trademark of one company that supplies the grain. It is a wheat from the Mediterranean region, in the durum family. It has more protein and nutrients than ordinary refined wheat.

It gives carbohydrate and fiber. It is rich in iron, selenium and zinc, and also has magnesium, B vitamins and copper. These matter for healthy blood, mental development and the thyroid. Fiber helps the gut microbiome and regular bowel movements.

Porridge, fritters and pancakes

Porridge is the easiest start. You can cook it in buttermilk or vegetable stock. For balls and fritters, combine cooked wheat with minced meat or mashed vegetables. Pancake and waffle strips made with khorasan flour work too. Bread and pasta can be served in age-appropriate shapes.

Flattening

After 9 months, once the pincer grasp is developing, you can offer grain salad. Press the grains flat with a fork's back so they stick together and are easy to pick up. Stirring the salad into mash or yogurt is another route.

Puffed khorasan wheat

Puffed grain is small and round, and saliva does not break it down easily. Waiting until at least 18 months is best. Your child needs to follow basic directions and keep from cramming the mouth full. Show them how to chew first. Hand over one or two pieces at a time. Puffed grain that has gone stale turns firmer, which makes it riskier.

Storage

Buying in bulk is usually cheaper. Store it in a sealed container somewhere cool and dark.

Choking on khorasan wheat does not happen often. Single grains, however, can slip into the airway. To lower this risk, make porridge, flatten cooked grains with a fork, or stir them into a sauce or soft dish. Puffed khorasan wheat is small and round and does carry a choking risk. Do not serve it before 18 months. Stay close at meals, within arm's reach.

Wheat ranks among the leading food allergens in children, and khorasan wheat is wheat, so it counts as an allergen. Around 66 percent of affected children lose the allergy before turning 12.

Celiac disease and wheat allergy are different conditions. A wheat allergy can pass. Celiac disease needs a strict gluten-free diet for life. People with grass pollen allergy may get oral allergy syndrome, which usually means a short itch, tingle, or burn in the mouth.

In a very rare condition, wheat triggers a severe allergy when combined with exercise. These people should skip wheat during the four hours that come before hard exercise. Wheat and other gluten grains have also shown up in a few cases of FPIES, a delayed allergy. Its sign is repeated vomiting and diarrhea starting a few hours after eating. Contact your doctor if this happens.

If you suspect your baby has a wheat allergy, ask your pediatrician before offering it at home. Start with tiny portions and keep a close eye on your baby.