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Cow's milk allergy symptoms are currently a major concern for many parents with young children. Specifically, what is cow's milk allergy, what are the symptoms of cow's milk allergy manifesting externally,... All information related to this issue will be fully provided through the article below.
What is cow's milk allergy?
Cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) is the most common type of food allergy in infants. Cow's milk allergy occurs when the baby's immune system reacts abnormally to a protein in milk. And this often occurs in infants under 1 year old.
Cow's milk allergy is quite common in young children
The immune system typically protects the body from harmful germs such as bacteria and viruses. For infants with CMPA (cow's milk allergy), the immune system mistakes a protein in cow's milk as a harmful substance, so the immune system attacks it. This can affect the baby's stomach and intestines.
Cow's milk allergy is very common. The highest risk occurs in infants, affecting 2% –3% of children under 1 year old. The risk decreases as children get older, affecting less than 1% of children aged 6 and older. This condition is also quite recognizable through the symptoms of cow's milk allergy on the baby's body.
There are many risk factors that can lead a child to develop cow's milk allergy. These include parental or sibling allergies. For example, asthma, seasonal allergies, or eczema...
Currently, many studies have shown that: breastfeeding seems to protect infants from cow's milk allergy better.
What is the difference between cow's milk allergy and lactose intolerance?
Essentially, lactose intolerance is very different from cow's milk allergy. Because lactose intolerance is not related to the immune system. And the symptoms of cow's milk allergy are quite different from the symptoms of lactose intolerance.
Lactose intolerance and cow's milk allergy are two different conditions
Lactose is a complex sugar found in dairy products. Lactase is an enzyme produced in the small intestine to digest lactose. People with lactose intolerance have low or no levels of lactase enzyme in their intestines. As a result, these individuals experience digestive symptoms due to poorly digested lactose.
While cow's milk allergy typically affects children under 1 year old, lactose intolerance is rarely seen in children under 5 years old.
Symptoms of cow's milk allergy in infants
Symptoms of cow's milk allergy vary widely. Symptoms often develop within the first few weeks when a baby consumes cow's milk.
An immediate reaction to cow's milk protein can lead to symptoms of cow's milk allergy. This type of allergy is not uncommon in infants, thus it is always a concern for parents. Early detection and appropriate intervention can help prevent unwanted complications from this cow's milk allergy. Typical symptoms of cow's milk allergy include vomiting, diarrhea, bloody or mucousy stools, and abdominal pain. Some babies may experience runny nose, difficulty breathing, or rash.
Most infants show delayed symptoms of cow's milk allergy. Additionally, they often have skin or digestive-related signs. Digestive symptoms may again include vomiting, abdominal pain, prolonged crying (due to abdominal pain), blood or mucus in stools, and diarrhea.
Symptoms of cow's milk allergy in infants
The severity of cow's milk allergy reactions can vary. Each baby will have different symptoms of cow's milk allergy with each exposure. This means that even if you observe a mild reaction in your baby when drinking milk. But next time, the allergic reaction may be more severe and even life-threatening. Therefore, if parents suspect their baby has cow's milk allergy, take them to see a doctor immediately! Or handle it at home with some of the following measures
Managing infants with cow's milk allergy
In addition to recognizing the symptoms of cow's milk allergy. You also need to understand how to manage this issue when your child is affected.
For babies under 1 year old, the main source of food at this time is breast milk. The only way to manage this stage for your baby is to completely avoid cow's milk and cow's milk products. Instead, always provide enough breast milk that the baby needs.
In cases where there is no breast milk or the child is older, you can use hydrolyzed protein formula. This is a type of milk where the protein is broken down (hydrolyzed) into smaller parts. This prevents allergic reactions.
Parents should explore and consider using hydrolyzed protein formula for their baby
If the baby still exhibits symptoms when using hydrolyzed formula, then parents may try amino acid formula. The protein in this formula is completely broken down into the smallest units - they are called amino acids. This prevents any allergic reactions to cow's milk protein from occurring.
Some parents give their children goat milk or other types of milk. Because they believe they are easier to digest than cow's milk. In fact, the protein in animal milk is very similar to cow's milk protein. Therefore, giving goat milk to the baby will not help improve the cow's milk allergy condition. Or even some parents switch to lactose-free milk. This is entirely useless. Because the cause of the allergy is the protein itself, not lactose.
Children with cow's milk allergy are usually not encouraged to drink soy milk. Soy is another common cause of food allergies in children. And babies with this allergy are more likely to develop other allergies. Therefore, it should not be used as a primary beverage for infants under 6 months old. However, it may be allowed by a doctor after that time if the child is not allergic to it.
And when infants with cow's milk allergy often suffer from diarrhea, their digestive system is seriously affected. Therefore, parents need to give the baby probiotics to strengthen the digestive system. The beneficial bacteria will quickly restore the balance of the intestinal microbiota, support diarrhea control. In addition, it also creates a protective layer to protect the intestinal mucosa and support food digestion for the child.
Probiotics help the baby quickly restore the balance of intestinal microbiota
However, when supplementing probiotics for the baby, parents also need to consider carefully. Because the digestive system of newborns is not fully developed, supplementing it arbitrarily may affect the digestive system later on. For the safest option, you should consult a pharmacist, doctor, or find reputable products.
Through this article, hopefully, you have somewhat understood the issues related to symptoms of cow's milk allergy. From there, support your child in the eating and development process later on.
>> What causes formula-fed infants to have diarrhea?
>> How to recognize lactose intolerance in children
>> Safe ways to manage diarrhea in babies
>> How to treat infant diarrhea with traditional remedies
>> What to do if your child has diarrhea after changing formula?
