Cow's milk is a very valuable and healthy drink that contributes to the development and strengthening of not only bones and teeth, but also the whole organism. Especially it has a beneficial effect on young children who are just starting to grow and form.
But what if the baby is allergic to cow protein? How to identify a problem in time? Is it possible to prevent it? How to help your baby cope with an allergic reaction? And how to timely detect the intolerance of cow's milk proteins in your beloved child? Let's find out.
But first, we will discuss the positive and negative aspects of using this product.
Pros and cons
The benefits and harms of cow's milk have been debated for a long time. On the one hand, the drink is rich in various life-giving elements, such as protein, calcium, carbohydrates, fats. And although now you can increasingly hear about the negative effects of the last two substances, nevertheless they are a real source of vigor and energy, and also participate in such important processes as the breakdown of glucose and the synthesis of hormones.
In addition, cow's milk contains B vitamins, which are responsible for the nervous, immune, cardiovascular and other body systems. In addition, this drink contains phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, chlorine, copper, iodine, zinc, iron and many other trace elements, so necessary for the health and development of the whole organism.
On the other hand, cow's milk is considered one of the most allergenic drinks that can cause unpredictable and dangerous allergic reactions. In addition, the use of milk is contraindicated in acute and chronic kidney diseases, poisoning, atherosclerosis, obesity, and so on.
Therefore, it is very important before introducing a drink to the infant’s menu, weighing the benefits and harms of cow’s milk and seriously consider the issue of complementary foods.
Why is there an allergy to a seemingly useful natural product?
The main causes of the disease
The main cause of allergy to cow's milk in an infant is the protein intolerance that this drink is rich in. This occurs in five to eight percent of all infants and passes within a few years after birth.
Another culprit in allergies to cow's milk can be considered the intolerance of the child's body to lactose. However, this is a completely separate disease.
Why can a peanut be allergic to milk proteins?
Disease provocateurs
Although the product contains more than twenty kinds of protein, only some of them cause a negative reaction in babies. They are very influential and active, so they do not lose their intensity even during hot processing.
Here are some factors that cause an infant to be allergic to cow protein:
- A sharp transition to the mixture. The rapid transition from breastfeeding to artificial can provoke an unpredictable reaction to a new product.
- Genetic predisposition. Mom or someone from other relatives of the newborn is prone to allergies, asthma and so on.
- Severe pregnancy or childbirth.
- The baby was born prematurely.
- Failure to follow instructions for proper preparation of the mixture.
- Switching to artificial nutrition during stress or illness of the baby (revaccination, dying heat or severe frost, colds, dysbiosis).
- Unfavorable living conditions (contaminated area, tobacco smoke, unsanitary conditions in the room).
It is very important to know what provokes an allergy to cow protein in infants. Thanks to this, you can take the necessary practical measures to eliminate the cause. Moreover, it will help you determine if your little one is at risk and needs careful and careful attention regarding nutrition.
How is an allergy to milk proteins manifested?
Symptoms of the disease
Since allergy is the response of the immune system to a stimulus, the manifestation of intolerance to cow protein will be noticeable from all internal and external systems of the body.
For example, the digestive system immediately declares their discomfort. This will be seen in multiple baby regurgitation, frequent gas jets, loose stools. Carefully look at the feces of the peanut. You should be alerted if they are colored green, have foam and an unpleasant odor, and also if you can find particles of undigested milk in the form of curdled clots in them.
Signs of an allergy to cow protein in infants will certainly appear in skin rashes or irritations that are different in their etiology and appearance. It can be reddish spots on the cheeks, neck and buttocks. Or dry peels on the head and face. Small watery blisters or small pimples may occur.
The respiratory system also responds to protein irritants. The baby may have difficulty breathing, coughing, sneezing, nasal congestion, and so on. In some cases, serious pathologies such as Quincke's edema or bronchial asthma are found.
The nervous system also reacts negatively to cow milk’s allergens. The pean becomes tearful and moody, he does not sleep well and expresses concern.
You should be aware that the above symptoms will progress if cow's milk is not excluded from the baby’s diet. This is very serious, as it can provoke many dangerous and complex diseases.
How to diagnose an allergy to cow protein in infants and what might be needed for this?
General diagnosis of the disease
If you observe the symptoms described above in your baby, do not rush to make a diagnosis on your own and even more so personally prescribe treatment. The fact is that the manifestation of milk allergy can be very similar to the manifestation of many other diseases. Only a specialist can determine the true cause, based on laboratory tests.
First of all, it will be necessary to take a blood and feces test to identify eosinophils and red blood cells, respectively, as well as to establish dysbiosis or any other disease of the digestive tract.
Allergic tests
What will help diagnose an allergy to cow protein in infants? Test for irritant (or allergy test).
What is remarkable about this examination? Under the skin in the region of the forearm, one drop of special solutions is introduced, containing allergens-pathogens. If the irritant is correctly identified, then redness or a rash will appear around the injection.
So, the studies have been carried out, and the diagnosis has been established, after which many parents have a very relevant question: if you are allergic to cow protein, than to feed the baby.
Before we find out the answer, let's get acquainted with the methods of treating newborn allergies.
Drug therapy for ailment
In most cases, allergy treatment has several directions:
- Removal of toxic irritants from the child's body. To do this, use activated carbon, Enterosgel, Lactofiltrum.
- Elimination of allergic manifestations: reducing itching, relieving swelling and redness. For these purposes, “Erius”, “Suprastinex”, “Claritin”, “Zirtek” are prescribed.
- Removal of skin inflammations. Preparations are applied topically in the form of ointments and gels: “Fenistil”, “Bepanten” and others.
In cases of acute or protracted manifestations of an allergy to cow's milk, your doctor may prescribe hormonal drugs.
They can be used in the form of oral drops or tablets, intramuscular injections or external ointments.
ethnoscience
Is it possible to cure a baby from allergies with recipes from a folk medicine cabinet? Yes, however, this should be done carefully, making sure that your little one is not allergic to natural components.
You can prepare a light broth from a string of dill and chamomile seeds, which is recommended to be used as lotions, as well as added to water during bathing.
Also, the broth can be given to the child inside, but it should start with a minimum - from three to four drops at a time, gradually increasing to a volume of one teaspoon.
Brew the grass strictly according to the instructions, so as not to cause the baby to have an allergic reaction to the medicinal components. After a few tricks, the allergy symptoms will gradually disappear. Swelling, burning and rashes will decrease, the work of the digestive tract will normalize (the baby will stop spitting up and vilifying).
What can I eat during the treatment and after recovery?
Mom's Nutrition
The most natural and most basic method of anti-allergic therapy is, of course, a complete and categorical rejection of products that include cow's milk protein.
What does it look like in practice?
If a baby is breast-fed, a nursing mother should completely abandon whole milk and products with its content, as well as chocolate, eggs, citrus fruits and nuts.
Child nutrition
But what if the baby is on artificial nutrition? There are many mixtures made without the use of cow's milk proteins. They are called hypoallergenic, and are quite expensive.
Are there any other mixtures that work when babies are allergic to cow protein? Reviews of many mothers show that yes.
In pharmacies and on store shelves you can find baby food made on the basis of soy, oat, rice or goat milk. They are recommended to be used from the moment the baby is six months old.
Of course, specialized mixtures are more expensive than regular ones. However, only they are able to help your peanut enjoy delicious food without side effects in the form of allergic manifestations.
Closer to the year, it will be possible to try to introduce processed cow's milk in the form of fermented baked milk, kefir and other products into the child’s diet. In the process of their preparation, the protein breaks down into amino acids, which will cease to be perceived by the body as allergens.
Finally
Yes, an allergy to cow protein in infants is an unpleasant and troublesome disease. The mother of the baby will have to carefully experiment with the use of various mixtures and products, as well as with the selection of medications and treatment methods (if allergic reactions are too acute and unpredictable).
However do not worry. A little time will pass, and your little one will become older. His body will learn to perceive complex cow proteins, and all kinds of allergies will remain in the distant past.