Expert Information for Parents On-Line
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CONFIRMING COW's MILK PROTEIN ALLERGY?
INFOPARENTS.COM: If you're breastfeeding, and your child has been diagnosed with a cow's milk allergy, you don't need to stop breastfeeding. In fact, your baby's allergic symptoms can be relieved by simply removing dairy products from your own diet, as well as your baby's. If you choose to switch to a cow's milk free diet in order to continue breastfeeding, you should be sure to include foods in your diet which will make up for the calcium and other nutrients which are usually supplied by cow's milk. Your doctor can advise you about a healthy, dairy-free diet that would be appropriate for you.
If your child is diagnosed with a milk allergy, and is being fed milk-based formula, your doctor will probably recommend switching to either soy-based or hydrolysate formulas. But simply switching to another type or brand of milk-based formula won't help, as it's necessary to avoid the whole milk protein which is found in all regular formulas.
Soy-based formulas have been available since 1962, and are the most widely used alternative
to milk-based formulas. Instead of milk-protein, the protein in these formulas comes from soy beans.
Just like cow's milk-based formulas, soy-based formulas contain all the necessary nutrients
and calories required for normal growth and development. Soy-based formula should not be confused with the kind of soy milk that is commonly found in the dairy section of many grocery stores. Soy-based formulas are a good substitute for milk-based formulas, and cow's milk generally during the first two years - but soy milk is not. It's low in calcium, and hasn't been fortified with other important nutrients that an infant needs.
So be sure to use soy-based formulas rather than soy milk until your infant has reached age two,
or has outgrown the milk allergy - whichever comes first.
The other alternative to regular cow's milk-based formulas are the hydrolysate formulas. These formulas are made up of pre-digested cow's milk protein. In other words, the milk protein has been broken down into simpler proteins, so that it's easier for your baby to digest and cause less allergic reactions. But hydrolysate formulas tend to be more expensive than soy-based formulas, and are usually given only when a baby is allergic to soy as well as cow's milk protein.
This answer is provided by Infoparents.com, Expert Information for Parents On-Line, for more parenting resources and information please visit www.infoparents.com
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The information provided above is designed to be an educational aid only. It is not intended to replace the advice and care of your health and/or allied health professional, nor is it intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment.
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