Cow's milk allergy baby: Does your offspring suffer from it?

If your baby is diagnosed with a cow's milk allergy , changing the diet may not be as easy as it would be for an adult. Especially as your baby gets bigger , sometimes he or she won't understand why he or she can't just eat everything like other children. Instead, looking at the list of ingredients becomes mandatory.

At the same time, it is important that your little one learns early on what they can and cannot eat. The sooner he internalizes this, the fewer mistakes there will be later. Therefore, explain to him, as playfully as possible, what he needs to pay attention to when he is in kindergarten. For example, play shopping and involve your child in preparing the food.

It is equally important to inform the daycare center about the allergy. Educators must ensure that your little one does not consume any products that contain cow's milk . If lunch is delivered by a caterer, they must prepare a separate dish.

To help you as a mother, we explain in this article why some children suffer from intolerance. We also list the most common symptoms that indicate a cow's milk allergy . Finally, we will give you tips for feeding your little one and explain how best to deal with intolerance with your family. After all, a baby's allergy also means a change for the parents and siblings.

If your baby suffers from an allergy , as a mother you wonder how this happened. The predisposition to food intolerance as well as hay fever or neurodermatitis is usually inherited. This means: As soon as one person in the family suffers from fat intolerance , for example, the likelihood that your offspring will also be affected increases. Environmental factors and disturbed intestinal barriers are also suspected to be triggers.

As a mother, you have no influence on whether your baby develops an intolerance to a particular food.

At the same time, it is helpful to understand what is happening in your offspring's body:

With a cow's milk allergy, the baby's immune system reacts to certain proteins found in cow's milk. Usually these proteins are casein or whey protein. The body incorrectly classifies these as harmful, which leads to an allergic reaction. Your baby's immune system now produces specific antibodies to fight the proteins.

Since goat and sheep milk contain similar ingredients, they are largely not an alternative. If you give this to your offspring, you risk another allergic reaction.

It is important to know that an allergy to cow's milk is not the same as lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance occurs due to a deficiency of the enzyme lactase, which is responsible for the breakdown of milk sugar. However, similar symptoms appear such as abdominal pain, diarrhea and flatulence.

Intolerance to cow's milk does not manifest itself in the same way in all children. For this reason, you should always consult a doctor if your baby has any health problems. He can carry out various examinations to rule out serious physical illnesses. In addition, several tests may be necessary to find out exactly which foods or substances your little darling is allergic to.

If you notice one or more of the following symptoms in your child after feeding them cow's milk, you should report your suspicion of a cow's milk allergy to a pediatrician.

Your baby may experience the following symptoms:

• Digestive problems : If you notice diarrhea or constipation in your offspring, this can have many causes. Babies also often suffer from stomach pain or flatulence. It's best to carry your little one around in the so-called aviator's hold. It lies on your forearm in a prone position. Hold it firmly with both hands. If digestive problems become more frequent, you should speak to your pediatrician or midwife as soon as possible.
• Loss of appetite : If your offspring refuses food, they may feel that it is not good for them. This could also be due to aprotein allergy , for example. Diet can also be difficult if you have celiac disease. However, this only plays a role from the time you start feeding your offspring porridge.
• Rash : If your child has a rash, redness and tries to scratch themselves, it could also be a food allergy. Lactose intolerance can also cause a skin rash. A pediatrician or dermatologist can prescribe a cream that will help your skin recover more quickly. Also put thin gloves on your child so that they cannot scratch themselves.
• Irritability : An allergy puts a lot of stress on the body. Abdominal pain in particular is a major burden for infants. For this reason, food intolerance can cause irritability with constant crying or difficulty sleeping.

Sometimes an allergy can cause breathing difficulties. If it is difficult to breathe or shows other serious symptoms, call an emergency doctor immediately. In the event of respiratory arrest or anaphylactic shock, every second counts!

Breast milk is always the best for a baby . If you cannot breastfeed your offspring or if your mother's milk is no longer enough to keep you full, you need to ensure a healthy diet in other ways. If you have a corresponding intolerance, you will have to replace the milk here. Vegan alternatives are suitable for this. These are made from soy, almonds, oats or rice.

If your child is already old enough for porridge or solid food, you should of course avoid products containing milk . At the same time, you have to make sure that your offspring are provided with enough nutrients. On a vegan diet, small children can be deficient in calcium, protein, vitamin B2 and iodine . Vegan foods that contain a lot of calcium include fennel and broccoli. Mineral water containing calcium is also a good supplement.

Your offspring's protein needs can be met with sufficient intake of potatoes and legumes. Vitamin B2 is mainly found in whole grain products and vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, kale and peas. To prevent iodine deficiency, it is recommended to use table salt with iodine.

Despite a varied and balanced diet, your child may not be getting enough nutrients. You should therefore occasionally have a doctor carry out a blood test on your offspring. If there is a deficiency, he can prescribe nutritional supplements for your baby . Visiting a nutritional consultation is also recommended. There you will find out, for example, what you need to consider when consuming vegan products .

For parents whose baby suffers from an allergy to preservatives or cow's milk, the question often arises as to whether the entire family should change their eating habits. This is not necessarily necessary. However, it is important that you always prepare the food separately. If you want to make oat milk yourself, there should not have been cow's milk in the pot immediately beforehand .

Please note, however, that your children should not feel like they are not allowed to share in your food. Therefore, you should carefully consider how often you cook separately for your little one. Additionally, this involves more work. It is therefore recommended that the entire family eats a mostly vegan diet.

As your offspring gets older, you should discuss the intolerance with them calmly. He should learn how to deal with his allergies and pay attention to his diet. In everyday life, you will often find yourself in situations where you have to avoid dairy products , while others consume them without thinking. The sooner he learns to deal with it on his own responsibility, the better he will be able to cope with it in childhood and adolescence.

From kindergarten age, let your little one have a say in deciding which milk substitute products they want to consume. At Greenforce, for example, you can find delicious oat milk that you can make yourself . When you go shopping, you can also introduce your children to an appropriate diet. Explain to him that you should read the list of ingredients carefully and which substances you should pay attention to. Even if your little one can't read yet, he or she will understand that he or she isn't allowed to eat every food like other children.

By the way, a cow's milk allergy in a baby does not have to mean that your little one will have to struggle with the intolerance for the rest of their life. After two to three years, it is worth having a medical test to find out whether the intolerance still exists.