At what age can my child have raw sushi? 2 to 5 years?

What the evidence says

In Canada, the official advice is simple: don't give raw seafood, including sushi with raw fish, to children aged 5 and under. Health Canada groups young children with pregnant people and those with weak immune systems as being at higher risk from raw seafood.

The reason is that young kids' immune systems are still developing, and they make less stomach acid, which normally helps kill harmful germs. This means they're more likely to get sick, and more likely to get seriously sick, from bacteria or parasites sometimes found in raw fish.

American pediatric guidance is a bit more relaxed. The American Academy of Pediatrics has said there's actually no research proving one age is safest to start raw fish, and that in countries where sushi is common, some families introduce it as soon as kids eat solid food, while others wait until elementary school. A pediatrician-reviewed source mentions many families wait until 2 and a half to 3 years old, though some wait till 5 or later.

If you do want to try sushi with your child before age 5, cooked options like tempura rolls, cooked shrimp, or vegetable rolls are much safer choices, and can still be a good source of healthy fats for brain development. Fish very high in mercury, like tuna, swordfish, or shark, should also be limited regardless of whether it's raw or cooked.

Given that Canada's official guidance is stricter than some American advice, and there's no strong research showing a clear safe age, the cautious and recommended choice here is to wait until your child is past 5 before offering raw fish, and always choose cooked options in the meantime.