How to Identify Milk Allergy in Babies?

Milk and dairy products are definitely the products that you think will benefit your baby the most, especially with the transition to supplementary food. However, some babies may have a milk allergy, and in this case, changes should be made in the diet.

In this article, we have explained what is milk allergy in babies, how to understand, what to do, all!

What is milk allergy in babies?

What we call milk allergy is actually the reaction of the baby against the proteins in cow’s milk. It is very common in infants, especially in the first year. The reason for this is that the digestive system and intestines of babies are not yet developed and the proteins in the milk are perceived as a harmful substance.

In this case, “ Does goat’s milk cause allergies in babies? ‘ you may ask. Goat’s milk is less allergenic, but if the baby has developed an allergy to cow’s milk, he will likely be sensitive to other animal milks as well.

Is it different from breast milk allergy?

When it comes to milk allergy symptoms when babies have not started solid food yet, it is thought that it is breast milk that develops a reaction in the baby. First of all, let me state this. The condition known as breast milk allergy is the milk allergy that we will talk about in this article. The reason why babies who do not take supplemental food experience this problem is that the mother consumes foods containing cow’s milk and passes these proteins to her baby through breastfeeding.

In other words, breast milk, which is the only nutrient for the baby, does not cause allergies and is not perceived as a harmful substance by the body. The only way for the suckling baby to stay away from this problem is to pay attention to the mother’s nutrition. We will discuss the details of this below.

What are the symptoms of milk allergy in babies?

How to understand milk allergy in babies? Let’s give an immediate answer to the question :

• skin rash,
• dense gas,
• Frequent vomiting like cheese ( baby reflux ),
• Diarrhea ,
• Conditions such as crying for no reason are among the symptoms of milk allergy in babies.

The above-mentioned symptoms are frequently seen in babies with milk allergy. Apart from these, there are cases that are rare but need to be evaluated by a specialist immediately. Among them;

• Paternal blood
• If the allergy affects the respiratory system, nasal congestion,
• wheezing,
• Cough,
• There are problems such as breathing difficulties.

How is milk allergy diagnosed in infants?

When he consults his doctor with the symptoms we mentioned above, he will probably suspect a milk allergy and first recommend removing products containing cow’s milk from his diet. If the baby does not receive cow’s milk protein, if the symptoms recede, it is understood that the problem is milk allergy and its treatment is applied.

Except this;

• Specific IgE (Rast),
• Cap,
• It can also be diagnosed by doing blood tests called East.

How to treat milk allergy in babies?

The best treatment for babies with milk allergies is by making changes to their diet. However, the baby may be breastfeeding, formula-fed or may have started solid food. Therefore, we will examine the subject under several headings.

Maternal nutrition in infants with milk allergy

If your baby is breastfed and has developed a milk allergy, you need to change your diet at this point. Because, as we mentioned above, it is not your breast milk that develops allergies in your baby. The protein in milk and dairy products in the diet passes to the baby through breastfeeding and causes milk allergy.

For this reason, you need to exclude milk and dairy products from your diet. It’s not just cheese, milk or yogurt; Cakes, cookies, chocolate, soup, and whey powder containing dairy products are all products that affect a baby’s milk allergy. If you remove these foods from your diet list, you can easily breastfeed your baby. You will also notice that your baby’s symptoms are lessened.

However, you should establish this order with your doctor. In addition, if there is a condition such as calcium deficiency, you may need to take supplements. Your doctor will give you all this information.

Feeding infant formula

Many baby foods contain milk protein. These proteins are also susceptible to developing cow’s milk allergy in infants. Therefore, if your baby is formula-fed, your doctor will recommend using products containing soy or elemental formula. However, the choice of formula for babies with milk allergy should definitely be determined by the doctor. Already, some of the formulas for cow’s milk allergy can be purchased with doctor-approved reports.

Feeding of infants transitioning to complementary foods

If your baby has started to feed on solid foods now, you need to be more careful in your diet. Because your baby will not be able to consume products such as yoghurt and soup, which are given to babies in abundance during the start of supplementary food. For this reason, supplementary food in babies with milk allergy is an issue that needs attention!

Calcium deficiency is the most worrying situation for mothers about feeding babies with milk allergy! Babies with milk allergy need to take calcium, which is very important for bone development, by external supplementation or by consuming other vegetables containing calcium. These include vegetables such as broccoli and leeks. Carbohydrates are among the products that can be evaluated in terms of both energy and nutrition.

By the way, if you have a baby with milk allergy, you should be very careful with packaged foods. Because these foods can contain milk protein-containing substances such as cream, whey powder, as well as milk. For this reason, you should read the packaging well before giving a packaged food to your baby.

In your mind, “ So how will your baby be fed in a day? “There is a question, right? To give you an example, let’s give an example of a nutrition menu for babies with milk allergies.

Breakfast for babies with milk allergies

• If your baby is not allergic to eggs, yolk,
• whole grain bread,
• Olive,
• Tomatoes,
• Muesli with fruit
• Products such as cucumbers can be given according to the month.

Lunch for babies with milk allergies

• fruit purees,
• vegetable purees,
• Vegetable, lentil soup prepared without milk,
• Cereal foods are also suitable for lunch, arranged according to the month.

Dinner for babies with milk allergies

• Soups prepared without milk,
• Same as veal, lamb/fish/chicken,
• Legumes such as bulgur, dry beans and chickpeas can be used for dinner.

When does milk allergy in babies go away?

Milk allergy in infants usually begins to decrease after 1 year of age. Well, let’s talk about how to understand that cow’s milk allergy is gone. After this process, experimentation and observation can be made. You can consult your doctor to see if your baby has a reaction by adding a small amount of milk to a soup. If symptoms such as rash and diarrhea do not occur, it can be considered that the allergy has decreased. However, if reactions occur, you should continue with a dairy-free diet.

After this process, your doctor may recommend some medications for your baby. However, let us remind you that you should not use any medicine for your baby without consulting your doctor.

What happens if cow’s milk allergy is not treated?

Milk allergy in babies is an issue that needs attention. If the baby’s diet is not changed and the consumption of foods containing dairy products continues, it will cause serious problems such as eczema and anaphylaxis. In particular, anaphylaxis can affect the life of the baby and can lead to death. Therefore, babies with cow’s milk allergy must be fed properly.