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1 How do you know your child is allergic to cow's milk?
Why the allergic reactions?
The consumption of milk mixtures or other foods that are different from mother's milk in terms of unfamiliar protein supplements may lead to allergic reactions on account of such foreign proteins not being absorbed properly especially in infants aged 4-6 months whose digestive tracts, immune and enzyme systems are not yet fully developed. This accounts for why infants have problem digesting food
or otherwise are allergic to certain foods like cow's milk.
How do i know my child is allergic and what kind of allergy?
Cow's milk protein allergy is difficult to diagnose because symptoms are not apparent in the initial stages but appear over time. Parents thinking it's just a common rash occuring in children tend to overlook the allergy. Sometimes it's a rash on the face, swollen lips or at times there's blood in the mucus or chronic diarrhea or a chronic cold - these symptoms require close observation and if unsure, its best to consult a doctor to find out what the real cause is.
The most common allergic reactions in children usually occurs first on the face starting will little spots, then the head, forehead and neck. Some have it once, then its gone and comes back. In addition to the face, you may find rashes on the outer arm, elbow, wrist or around the body caused by an inflammation of the skin and if serious will result in lymph secretions. For older children, rashes occur not so much on the face but along skin crease lines such as the neck, joints, elbow and back of the knee.
Cow's milk protein allergy does not only result in rashes. Some children may have diarrhea with blood in the mucus if very allergic or vomitting after every meal, crying incessantly. Other symptoms worth taking a closer look relates to the respiratory system - parents often think the child is down with a bad case of the common cold due to running nose and panting akin to asthma. The child seems tired, takes quick breaths, chest throbbing - if this continues unabated, the child turns green and wheezes with each breath. Due to insufficient oxygen intake through the narrow passage of the trachea, the child tries to compensate by breathing faster resulting in that wheezing sound.
2 How to treat children allergic to cow's milk and soy milk?
- the correct and best treatment is to skip cow's milk altogether including any product made from cow's milk for at least 1 year and slowly return to normal consumption (skip soy milk too).
- in the case of breast-fed children, the mother must refrain from consuming cow's milk or any product made from cow's milk particularly when breast feeding the child.
- when using milk formula for children with the allergy, the issue of taste and cost sometimes results in a lack of cooperation from the parents. Soy milk is not recommended. Some children are allergic to both cow's milk and soy milk.
- 15-45% of children who are allergic to cow's milk are also allergic to soy milk.
- choose foods that are not prone to allergic reactions.
3 Why mother's milk is the best for infants?
Quality proteins.
Protein in mother's milk vary from that of dairy animals. Although human breast milk contains less protein than cow's milk, it is at a level that is suitable for growth of the baby's body and brain. The growth of the human child is slower than in other animals, giving the body and brain ample time to develop physically strong as well as psychologically adaptive to his/her environment through proximity with the mother.
Milk usually contains the proteins 'whey' and 'casein' which are hard to absorb tending to coagulate in the digestive tract. Cow's milk has a lot of 'casein' whilst mother's milk has more 'whey' and less 'casein' allowing for more efficient absorption. Better absorption also means the infant child gets hungry much quicker than infants who drink cow's milk. A hungry child tends to want to be closer to the mother - nature's way of bonding mother and child!
Fats that breakdown on their own!
The enzyme lipase in breast milk is another reason why mother's milk is easily digested. Lipase helps in the digestion of fat in breast milk making the absorption of nutrients more efficient. Lipase in breast milk helps to convert fat into energy for infants, increasing energy levels, making digestion easy - which is also why breastfeeding is good for premature babies who need a lot of energy but lack a fully developed digestive system.
Different nutrients for different needs.
Fat in breast milk changes all the time. When your child begins to suckle, the 'foremilk' is low on fat high on water, helps suppress cravings. 'Hindmilk' is high on fat. Babies who suckle often get more hindmilk which is rich in calories attributing to quicker growth during the 'growth spurt' period. Biological studies suggest that infants should have mother's milk frequently as and when in need and not follow a fixed schedule.
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ALWAYS CONSULT A DOCTOR BEFORE CONSUMING FOOD SUPPLEMENTS OF ANY KIND.
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