Can my child have sushi?

What the evidence says

Yes, but it depends on the type of sushi. Sushi made with cooked fish, cooked shrimp, egg, or just vegetables and avocado is a healthy food that most kids can eat once they can safely chew and swallow it, cut into small pieces to avoid choking.

Raw fish is a different story. Health Canada says children aged 5 and under should avoid raw seafood, including sushi, because their immune systems are still developing and their stomachs make less acid, which normally helps kill harmful germs. Raw shellfish like oysters and clams are considered even riskier than raw fish.

For older kids, American pediatric guidance says many families wait until a child is around two and a half to five years old before trying raw fish, though there's no research proving an exact right age, it's more of a caution based on infection risk. Getting the Hepatitis A vaccine before trying raw fish is also a good idea, since raw fish can occasionally carry this virus or parasites.

Mercury is another thing to watch. Fish like tuna, swordfish, and shark contain more mercury, which can affect a growing brain, so these should be limited. Fish like salmon, crab, and light tuna have little to no mercury and are safer everyday choices.

So the short answer: cooked sushi rolls are generally fine, raw fish sushi is best saved for later childhood, and raw shellfish and high-mercury fish are best kept to a minimum or avoided for young kids.