Around two to eight per cent of babies below the age of one exhibit symptoms of cow's milk allergy. Usually, a milk allergy tends to subside by the time babies turn three years old. But in some cases, it may persist until seven to eight years of age. What Are the Causes of Formula Allergy in Infants? Can babies be allergic to formula milk? Yes, it is indeed possible for a baby to be allergic to formula milk, as the immune system treats specific components of formula as enemies and starts attacking them. There are a few probable causes of this allergy. One of them is genetics. If anyone in the baby's immediate family has had a formula allergy in their childhood, the baby has a fifty to eighty per cent chance of inheriting it. Babies who are nursed have a lower chance of developing a milk allergy as compared to babies who are given formula milk. This is mainly because most infant formula is made with cow's milk. Thus, if you give cow milk protein-based formula to your baby, he may exhibit signs of an allergy, if he is allergic to cow's milk protein.
There are other medical conditions besides food allergy that can cause symptoms in infants and toddlers. Examples include: Lactose intolerance (an inability to digest lactose, a sugar found in cow's milk) Celiac disease (the immune system damages the small intestine when gluten protein found in wheat, rye, or barley is eaten) Crohn's disease (rare in infants/toddlers, but may cause diarrhea or low weight gain) If your infant or toddler is having symptoms after eating foods, it is important to see a doctor to get accurately diagnosed. Breast Milk Is Beneficial Breast milk provides optimal nutrition for an infant. Even babies with food allergies can benefit from breast milk. Very rarely, the food proteins pass through the breast milk and can cause symptoms in an infant or toddler. If this happens, the doctor may recommend the lactating mother avoid eating the foods their child is allergic to (sometimes known as an "elimination diet"). Many women can continue to breastfeed if they remove the foods that trigger their child's symptoms from their own diets.
There is no cure or treatment for formula allergy. An infant with formula allergy is advised to use hypoallergenic formula. Below are some commercial formulae that your doctor could recommend, depending on your infant's symptoms and tolerance (5) (13). 1. Soy infant formula Soy infant formula is made of soy protein isolate and is free from cow milk protein and lactose (14). Its use is often advised to babies with lactose intolerance. Some babies with cow milk allergy may develop soy protein allergy. However, term infants with IgE-mediated allergic reaction to cow milk protein may use soy-based formula (15). 2. Hydrolyzed protein formula These are hypoallergenic formulas available in two types —partially hydrolyzed and extensively hydrolyzed. Partially hydrolyzed protein formula contains cow milk protein (whey and casein) broken down into smaller proteins that are easy to digest. However, the hydrolysis is not enough to render the protein inactive to trigger an allergic reaction. Thus, this formula is not suitable for babies with cow's milk allergy but may be beneficial to babies with a soy allergy.
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