Allergy To Cow’s Milk Protein In Children
Did you know that the most common allergy in children is an allergy to cow’s milk protein? In addition, it is one of the first that usually manifests itself, since cow’s milk is usually introduced before one year of age and the rest of allergenic foods. This allows its detection to be early and treatment can be started as soon as possible to avoid risks.
It usually affects 2% of children and tends to persist into adulthood. The most important thing is to differentiate it from lactose intolerance, since the amount of food to avoid is greater. For this reason, it is advisable that you remain attentive and inform at school, especially if your little one stays to eat there.
Do you want to know how to detect it and act in the event of an unexpected reaction, what you can eat or how to prepare food to avoid a cross reaction? Stay tuned because we are going to tell you everything below.
Diagnosis and symptoms of cow’s milk protein allergy
Keep in mind that it is an immune system response, so detection is done by IgE antibodies in the blood. That said, there are 2 ways that they can be assessed, such as the prick test and the blood test.
On the one hand, the prick test consists of injecting the allergen under the skin and observing the appearance of red and itchy bumps over time. In the case of children, this method is the least invasive, which is why it is the most widely used. On the other hand, the analysis allows to assess the reaction of blood cells against milk proteins.
Both must be accompanied by a medical history that includes family history, age of onset and the time elapsed between ingestion of the allergen and symptoms.
Generally, it is manifested by itching and redness of the skin, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and respiratory pains that appear after a few hours.
Dietary treatment
Unlike lactose intolerance, dairy is not solely responsible for a cow’s milk protein allergy. Also involved are veal and derivatives, such as hamburgers, sausages, cannelloni, among others.
In addition, there is great similarity between milk proteins and goat and sheep meat. Therefore, they have to be avoided just like any source of lactoglobulins and casein.
They can be found in sauces, preserves, prepared food, chocolate, cocoa, cereals, some breads, sausages and sweets, since they are used as additives; even in soaps, body creams and medications. Therefore, before buying, nothing read the label well or ask the seller for advice, since it is mandatory to declare it.
However, traces are exempt because the quantities are very small and most of the time their presence is due to cross contamination due to the lack of different production lines. So, if you are not sure that this product is free of cow’s milk protein, you better not buy it.
Finally, remember to use different utensils between foods free of this allergen and others, and prepare them in separate areas to avoid their contact. In addition, it cleans all surfaces and pots well after using them.
Nutritional alternatives for children with a cow protein allergy
With regard to dairy, you have extensively hydrolyzed formulas at your disposal that have eliminated the proteins that cause allergies. If not, you can resort to vegetable drinks, although you should take into account the following recommendations:
- The soy drink is recommended to introduce it from 12 months.
- The rice drink is not recommended, as it contains large amounts of arsenic, a toxic mineral present in the cultivation soil.
- The rest of drinks, such as oatmeal and dried fruit, you can consume them without problem, although the nutritional value is not similar to milk because they hardly have protein and they stand out for the content of quality hydrates and fats, respectively.
- Choose those that do not have added sugars and, if possible, enriched with vitamin D and calcium.
As for the meat, you can offer your child chicken, rabbit, turkey and pork, which are more tender. Also, if you give it some citrus or peppers in the same meal, you will improve the absorption of iron.
Learning to live with a cow’s milk protein allergy
It is normal that with the diagnosis of cow’s milk protein allergy in your child, many doubts arise like the ones we have just solved. The reason is that they are foods whose consumption is considered basic, at least it is what is intended for their role in bone growth and prevention of anemia.
However, you have other foods with the same benefits, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, almonds, beans, shellfish, fish, and other meats.
In addition, at the beginning you have to be careful when buying or eating out and inform so that contact and accidental ingestion do not occur. Therefore, always carry adrenaline with you to reduce the impact of anaphylactic shock , which is manifested by difficulty breathing, dizziness, sweating and tachycardia, among other symptoms.
