- What are the symptoms of APLV
- How the diagnosis is made
- What is the treatment of APLV
- Can the baby be allergic to mother's milk?
- How to know if it is lactose intolerance?
To identify if the baby is allergic to cow's milk protein, one should observe the appearance of symptoms after drinking the milk, which are usually red and itchy skin, severe vomiting and diarrhea.
Although it can also appear in adults, milk allergy usually starts during childhood and tends to disappear after 4 years of age. As soon as the first symptoms appear, the pediatrician should be consulted to make the diagnosis of the disease and start the treatment so as not to hinder the child's growth.
What are the symptoms of APLV
Depending on the severity of the allergy, symptoms may appear within minutes, hours or even days after drinking milk. In the most severe cases, even contact with the smell of milk or with cosmetic products that have milk in the composition can cause the symptoms, which are:
- Redness and itching of the skin; Vomiting in the form of a jet; Diarrhea; Stool with blood; Constipation; Itching around the mouth; Swelling of the eyes and lips; Cough, wheezing or shortness of breath.
Since allergy to cow's milk protein can cause stunted growth due to poor diet, it is important to see a doctor in the presence of these symptoms.
How the diagnosis is made
The diagnosis of cow's milk allergy is made based on the history of symptoms, blood test and oral provocation test, in which milk is given to the child to take to assess the appearance of the allergy. In addition, the doctor may also ask you to remove milk from the child's diet to assess improvement in symptoms.
It is also important to remember that the diagnosis of milk allergy can take up to 4 weeks to be made, as it depends on the severity of the allergy and the speed at which the symptoms appear and disappear.
What is the treatment of APLV
The treatment of allergy to cow's milk is done with the removal of milk and its derivatives from the diet, and the consumption of foods that have milk in the recipe, such as cookies, cakes, pizzas, sauces and desserts, is also prohibited.
The appropriate milk for the child to drink must be indicated by the pediatrician, as it must be a complete milk, but without presenting the cow's milk protein that causes allergy. Some examples of milk formulas indicated for these cases are Nan Soy, Pregomin, Aptamil and Alfaré. See which milk is best suited for your baby.
If the formula the baby is taking is not complete, the pediatrician should indicate some supplements that should be used to avoid deficiency of vitamins or minerals that can cause diseases such as scurvy, which is a lack of vitamin C, or Beriberi, due to lack of vitamin B, for example.
Can the baby be allergic to mother's milk?
Babies who are fed only breast milk may also show symptoms of milk allergy, as part of the cow's milk protein consumed by the mother passes into breast milk, causing allergy in the baby.
In these cases, the mother should avoid consuming products with cow's milk, preferring drinks and foods based on soy milk, preferably enriched with calcium.
How to know if it is lactose intolerance?
To find out if your baby has lactose allergy or intolerance, you need to observe the symptoms, as lactose intolerance shows only symptoms linked to poor digestion, such as increased gas, intestinal colic and diarrhea, while in milk allergy there are also respiratory symptoms. and on the skin.
In addition, the baby should be taken to the doctor for tests that confirm the diagnosis, such as blood tests and the lactose intolerance test. Find out how this test is done.
It is also important to remember that the baby's chances of having a cow's milk allergy or intolerance are greater when close relatives, such as parents or grandparents, also have the problem. See how to feed the baby who is allergic to avoid health problems and stunted growth.
