The cow's milk protein allergy (APLV) is the most common food allergy in infants and young children. Not surprisingly, between 2 and 8 percent of babies suffer from it but it is not always diagnosed quickly and concretely.
As the mother of a child with this food allergy, I will tell you what the symptoms that should put us on alert. Some are very clear and obvious, but others may become confused with common conditions of babies such as reflux or colic of the infant. Therefore it is important that we go to the pediatrician at any sign that makes us suspect.
Breastfeeding and APLV
Exclusive breastfeeding is the best shield to protect our baby from having a food allergy, including the APLV. But unfortunately, breastfeeding does not ensure total protection and breastfed babies can also develop this or any other allergy.
This occurs mainly in children with a history of atopy, that is, with allergic parents (not necessarily cow's milk) and / or asthmatics or with a sibling with APLV. If that baby carries an important atopic load in its genes, the allergy will most likely end up debuting without being able to do anything to avoid it.
In Babies and more The seven most common food allergies in babies and childrenBut there is a practice that we can avoid and of which, fortunately, more and more pediatricians and healthcare personnel are aware of the dangers involved: the early and intermittent administration of formula milk while breastfeeding.
It would be the typical bottle of formula we give (or give our baby in the hospital without our knowledge or consent) while the milk goes up. Or to which we resort to a sporadic night to rest. Or the "help" who advise us to give the first days because it seems that "the baby has been hungry" ... This way of administering formula milk, increases the risk of suffering from APLV in genetically predisposed individuals.
First warning symptoms
Whether you have opted for breastfeeding or if you are giving a bottle, you may notice certain strange behaviors in your child during the feeding. Does your baby arch while eating? Do you drop and grab the nipple or nipple with rage, as if you didn't want to eat but at the same time you were hungry? Are you restless and nervous during and after the shot? Does it reject the chest or the bottle?
These symptoms, which, initially, parents may not give importance, may choose an APLV. But if, in addition, your baby is irascible most of the time, has very short periods of sleep, seems to hurt the tripita or be uncomfortable, vomits propulsion or regurgitates constantly, you should check it immediately with your pediatrician.
Likewise, it is advisable to be alert to any unusual change in the color and consistency of stool if we talk about a baby fed exclusively breastfeeding. Stool with mucus, with strands of blood or with a very strong smell can also be alarm signals.
Types of food allergies
exist two types of food allergies and one is usually simpler and faster to diagnose than the other:
- On the one hand there are the IgE mediated allergies whose symptom are usually immediate intake of food allergen. In the case of the APLV we would be talking about symptoms that appear after giving the bottle or breast to our baby.
LThe most characteristic symptoms are rashes: The baby begins to fill with hives or pimples around the area of the mouth, chin, neck or other parts of the body. In addition, other associated symptoms may appear such as breathing difficultieswhistles or swelling of eyelids and lips
In Babies and more Allergy to cow's milk proteins, mediated by IgE and not mediated by IgE: differences, symptoms and prognosis When it comes to very striking symptoms and sudden appearance after taking, the diagnosis is not usually expected.
The IgE-mediated APLV has symptoms of rapid onset and evolution and its diagnosis is usually clear- But we cannot forget the non-IgE mediated allergies, responsible for many babies being diagnosed after days, weeks or even months of having a really bad time.
In the case of the APLV, these late and slowly developing symptoms are often confused with other common pathologies in babies, hence his diagnosis sometimes comes so late.
If your baby has colic at any time of the day, skin reactions in the form of eczema or very rebellious diaper dermatitis, reflux, irascibility, stagnation or weight loss, abdominal pain, "rare poops", vomiting ... You could be in front of an APLV not IgE mediated.
Non-IgE-mediated APLV has late and slowly evolving symptoms that can make it difficult and delay its diagnosisHowever, we must bear in mind that no two allergies are alike So the symptom manuals should only serve as a guide to be alert in case of detecting something unusual. But, as in almost all things, a mother's instinct is always always the best of the manuals.
Steps to follow after diagnosis
If you have detected any of the symptoms described in your baby, it is important that go immediately to a pediatrician (or to the emergency department of a hospital if you consider the symptoms to be severe) that will give you the precise indications about the first steps to follow.
It is likely that your pediatrician will refer you to a specialist who will monitor your child's allergy, as well as necessary tests to confirm the suspicions of the diagnosis.
In any case, the treatment to follow whether an IgE-mediated allergy or non-IgE-mediated allergy will be the exclusion of the baby's diet from the allergen food, in this case of cow's milk.
If you are feeding your child with formula milk you will have to replace it with a hydrolyzed milk (which should be prescribed by the doctor) and if you are breastfeeding it is best to eliminate cow's milk and dairy products from your diet, to Continue breastfeeding safely.
Is APLV the same as lactose intolerance?
Do not!. Unfortunately it is common for confusion between the terms "milk allergy" and "lactose intolerance" but it is very important to know how to differentiate both pathologies because the patient's life depends on it.
In a food allergy (either IgE mediated or IgE mediated) the immune system comes into playor when considering milk proteins as an enemy to fight against.
On the other hand, it is necessary to know that an allergy can compromise the life of the patient if a anaphylactic shock, so that in the most serious cases, self-injectable adrenaline will be prescribed so that the allergic person always carries it with them.
In lactose intolerance no comes into play the immune system but digestive system. The patient is unable to digest lactose (milk sugar) and alterations occur at the intestinal level that in no case will compromise the patient's life or require adrenaline. A lactose intolerant person may continue to consume dairy products as long as they are lactose free.
The problem is that in some cases, non-IgE-mediated APLV can present digestive symptoms very similar to those of lactose intolerance, hence there are ambiguities and delays in its diagnosis. But it is important to know the differences and use the terminology correctly.
An allergic to cow's milk should immediately remove the milk from their diet. A lactose intolerant can continue to consume milk if it does not carry lactoseIn summary…
Allergy to cow's milk proteins has nothing to do with lactose intolerance, neither in severity of symptoms, nor in development, nor in prognosis. And although it is the first food allergy that debuts in childhood, it is also usually the one with the best cure prognosis.
In any case, it is an IgE-mediated or non-mediated allergy, with severe or less severe symptoms, the treatment will always involve the elimination of milk from the baby's diet.
Photos | iStock More information | Not without my allergy In Babies and more | How is the baby poop and what are the related warning signs, Milk is the first cause of allergy in children, Cases of cow's milk allergy continue to appear because of the "pirate bottle"
