Cow's milk allergy is one of the most common food allergies in infancy. Since it can cause allergic diseases, growth retardation and fatal anaphylactic (allergic shock) reactions, it should be well recognized and prevented.
This allergy occurs when babies overreact to proteins in cow's milk.
How do babies encounter cow's milk protein?
With the transfer of dairy products consumed during breastfeeding to breast milk,
Formula formula (foods are prepared from cow's milk)
Additional In the food period, they may show allergic symptoms by eating dairy products directly.
Why do some babies have allergies?
The immune system of babies is still in the developmental stage and in some cases, the immune system may perceive the proteins in cow's milk as foreign substances and
The two main types of proteins found in cow's milk are casein and alpha - betalactoglobulin, which cause allergic reactions. Genetic predisposition may also play a role in the development of cow's milk allergy in infants.
Which systems show symptoms?
Cow's milk allergy in babies can affect different systems such as the digestive system, respiratory system and skin.
What are the symptoms?
A wide variety of symptoms can be seen in cow's milk allergy. The most common symptoms are;
Breast rejection
•• Excessive crying
• Failure to gain weight
Abdominal pain and gas
p>Vomiting
Poop with bloody mucus
• Diarrhea
> Eyes and face edema (swelling)
Why Does It Happen?
How to Diagnose Cow's Milk Allergy?
When is the Allergy Test?
Cow's milk allergy occurs by 3 mechanisms: IgE-mediated, IgE-mediated and mixed. According to these mechanisms, clinical pictures and diagnostic methods vary.
Children with cow's milk allergy apply to us most frequently in three clinical conditions.
1- Proctocolitis: It is not IgE mediated. Generally, babies who are breastfed have bloody and mucous poop when they are two to three months old. Apart from that, the baby is healthy and weight gain is good. In this type of allergy, the symptoms do not appear immediately, but may appear hours/days later. Allergy cannot be detected by blood or skin testing. Cow's milk is removed from the mother's diet, and if the complaints disappear, cow's milk is fed again after 15 days. If blood and mucus recurs in the poop, the diagnosis is finalized and the mother is given a diet for three to six months.
2- Urticaria-Angioedema: It is IgE mediated. In this type of allergy, when foods containing dairy products (yogurt, cheese, etc.) are given to the baby for the first time, complaints such as widespread rash (urticaria/hives), angioedema, shortness of breath, hypotension, vomiting and loss of consciousness are observed. Allergic complaints occur within minutes of eating food. It is the most severe type of allergy. Allergic cause can be shown by blood and skin tests in the diagnosis.
3- Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis): Mixed type allergy. In some babies with eczema, the allergen can be detected by blood and skin testing. But in all cases, the allergic food may not be revealed by tests. For this reason, even if the allergy test is negative in infants with eczema suspected of having milk allergy, a diet is performed and the clinical response is checked. If there is a clinical response, an allergy is accepted and a longer diet is applied.
In babies with allergic complaints, it is of great importance to understand which food is the source of allergy. If an allergic food is determined, a diet is made for this food only. Otherwise, unnecessary diets containing too many nutrients will be applied, which may impair the health of the mother and indirectly the quality of the milk that the baby will receive.
TREATMENT
In the presence of cow's milk allergy, milk and dairy products should be excluded from the mother's and baby's diet. Some babies do not have allergic symptoms while receiving breast milk in the first 6 months. can. Allergic findings occur after switching to supplementary food. In such cases, the mother may not need to diet.
Formula milk, ie baby food, contains cow's milk protein. Special allergy formulas should be used in formula-fed babies. These babies should have an adrenaline-containing needle (adrenaline auto-injector) at home to be done when necessary.
Does milk allergy go away in time?
Milk allergy resolves in most babies around the age of 2 years. By the age of 5, almost all babies show improvement. Rarely, it can last a lifetime in some children. We can understand that the allergy has improved, either by doing allergy tests or by opening the diet under the control of a doctor.
When we think that the allergy has improved, it is necessary to open the diet, starting with the least allergic dairy products (baked), and proceed according to the response.
Well, how to start a milk diet
Cow's milk diet is applied to babies with proctocolitis and their mothers for 3-6 months. After 3-6 months, the mother's diet is gradually opened first.
In other allergy types, when to start a diet is determined by the physician according to the type of allergy and clinical situation.
Mother's diet first in breastfed babies opens, if it is seen that there is no problem, the baby's diet is opened.
We use the term "Milk Ladder" since the diet is opened step by step.
MILKING STAIR
1. Step 1: First, we start with foods with low allergy risk. Foods baked in a high temperature oven are the least allergenic.
Biscuits, cakes, cookies, lasagna and pizza prepared by baking in the oven at 200 degrees for 30 minutes in the first step; It can be started in small amounts and eaten in increasing amounts day by day.
These foods should be tried for a week, and when it is seen that there is no allergic condition in the baby, the second step should be started.
2. Step: Cooked butter (at dinner), cheese and yoghurt (highland soup) can be eaten.
When we don't see any problems for a week, we can move on to Step 3.
3. Step: At this stage, we consume dairy products that have not been heat-treated but fermented. Like cheese, yogurt.
4. Step : Let's clear your eyes, direct pass You can drink pureed milk.
The points we will pay attention to:
Start with a small amount of food at each step and gradually increase it.
If allergic symptoms are observed when the step is increased, it is not to cut out dairy products completely. it is necessary to return to the step and continue in that way, and apply the step increase again after two to three months.
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