How to care for children with cow's milk allergy

Cow’s milk allergy in children can cause a lot of confusion for parents when caring for their children. The following article will bring you useful information on this issue.

What is cow's milk allergy?

Cow's milk allergy occurs when your baby's immune system reacts to proteins in cow's milk and milk products. These proteins can also be present in formula or breast milk if the mother eats foods containing cow's milk.

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Cow's milk allergy is the most common food allergy in children, affecting 7% of children in the United States. Your baby is at higher risk of developing a cow's milk allergy if there is a family history of cow's milk allergy. Many children who are allergic to cow's milk proteins will also react to the proteins in sheep's and goat's milk. Common symptoms include:

Redness or rash around the mouth

Itching or swelling all over the body

Facial swelling

Wheezing

Vomit

Diarrhea

Slow response

Many babies can also have reactions to cow's milk slowly, including:

Vomiting milk

fussy

Constipation

Diarrhea

Anorexia

Eczema

Anaphylactic shock

Rarely, cow's milk can cause a severe reaction called anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening. Symptoms of anaphylaxis can occur immediately after your child consumes milk or milk products. Call 911 immediately if your child has:

Rash, skin edema

Wheezing or difficulty breathing

Swelling of the lips, mouth, tongue, or throat

Flaccidity of the body or limbs

Unconscious

Anaphylaxis can progress very quickly and be life-threatening, so don't forget to call an ambulance immediately.

Diagnose

Your child will be diagnosed with milk allergy by a doctor through clinical symptoms and blood tests and skin allergy tests.

A diet restricted to cow's milk may be recommended and then reassessed. Sometimes delayed allergic reactions can be difficult to diagnose, so your child will need a special diet as recommended and supervised by a dietitian.

Foods to avoid

If your child is allergic to cow's milk protein, they are likely to be allergic to goat's and sheep's milk as well. Your doctor or dietitian may recommend dietary changes. Foods to avoid include: milk, yogurt, ice cream, butter and cheese.

Milk can also “hide” in many other products, so you should check the labels of these products to see if they contain milk:

Milk sugar, lactose, condensed milk, milk protein, prepared milk

Casein and casein salts, hydrolyzed protein

Lactabumin

Skimmed milk powder, nonfat condensed milk, butterfat

According to food labeling regulations, foods containing milk must have the ingredients list printed in bold.

Lactose intolerance

Some symptoms may appear similar to cow's milk allergy but are actually signs of lactose intolerance, when the natural milk sugar is not broken down. Lactose intolerance is less common in young children. It can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps and bloating.

Baby colic or cow's milk allergy?

The symptoms of colic in infants and milk allergies are quite similar and can be easily confused. If your child is allergic to cow's milk, it can also cause colic. When your child is allergic to cow's milk, in addition to symptoms of severe abdominal pain such as crying, clenching hands, arching back, it is often accompanied by:

Eczema

Diarrhea

Vomit

If you are in doubt or uncertain, you should take your child to see a doctor for an accurate diagnosis.

Breastfeeding and cow's milk allergy

Breastfeeding and eating a healthy, varied diet are best for you and your baby. However, you may start to notice your baby reacting after you have eaten certain foods, such as milk. Cow's milk protein passes into your milk, and it causes symptoms in babies with milk allergy, including:

fussy

Discomfort after breastfeeding

Difficulty sleeping

Digestive disorders, diarrhea or constipation

Cold-like symptoms, wheezing

Itchy, red eyes

Dry skin

Change the mother's diet

If you notice that your breastfed baby is reacting to dairy products you eat, you should consult your doctor. They may advise you to avoid these foods for at least 2-3 weeks and monitor your baby’s symptoms. If they are the cause, your baby’s symptoms should improve within a few weeks. However, you do not need to completely avoid dairy products. Depending on the severity of your baby’s reaction, your doctor will help you make appropriate adjustments to your baby’s diet.

Change formula

Your doctor may recommend an alternative formula if your baby shows signs of cow's milk allergy. Formulas that can be used include hydrolyzed formulas, in which the milk proteins have been broken down into smaller, easier-to-digest, less allergenic parts. Alternatively, amino acid formulas, which do not contain any individual protein chains, can be used if your baby has difficulty digesting hydrolyzed formula or has severe symptoms.

Dangers of playing

Be extra vigilant if your child has a cow’s milk allergy when they play with other children. They may come into contact with other children’s milk products. Inform caregivers of your child’s milk allergy when you are not with your child.

See a doctor

The doctor can make the most appropriate adjustments, you should note to record the following information:

When and where does your child's reaction occur?

List of foods that cause reactions in children

What are your child's symptoms: rash, wheezing…

How long do these symptoms last?

What relieves your child's symptoms?

Controlling cow's milk allergy

The best way to manage the symptoms of cow’s milk allergy in children is to ensure that your child is completely free of cow’s milk proteins. If you are breastfeeding, discuss with your doctor the possibility of reducing or limiting the amount of dairy products in your diet. If you are formula feeding, you will be advised to switch to a suitable formula.

Many complex cases such as allergies of many different types, difficult to diagnose, severe reactions or developmental delays need to be diagnosed by specialists.

Prognosis

Fortunately, most children with cow’s milk allergy outgrow it by age 15, but some may still have reactions into adulthood. Don’t try to do it alone or cut out essential foods from your child’s diet. Talk to your doctor or dietitian to find the best diet for you.

According to SK&DS