The baby may show symptoms of allergy to breast milk, and this happens when the cow's milk protein that the mother consumes in feeding is passed on to the child. However, breast milk itself is ideally produced for the baby, with the necessary nutrients and antibodies to improve immunity, and it does not usually cause allergy when the mother does not consume cow's milk or its derivatives in excess.
Thus, when the baby has symptoms that indicate this allergy, such as diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, redness or itchy skin, it is necessary to inform the pediatrician so that evaluations are made and, if the allergy is confirmed, the mother will have to follow a diet without food containing milk.
Although it is more rare, the child may also present lactose intolerance, which is also present in breast milk. In these cases, if confirmed by the pediatrician, it is also necessary for the mother or baby to follow some changes in the diet. If you want to know more about lactose intolerance in your baby, check out how to feed your baby lactose intolerance.
How to identify
When your baby is allergic to milk protein, he may experience the following symptoms:
- Alteration of the intestinal rhythm, with diarrhea or constipation; Vomiting or regurgitation; Frequent cramps; Bloody stools; Redness and itching of the skin; Swelling of the eyes and lips; Coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath; Difficulty in gaining Weight.
Symptoms can be mild to severe, depending on the severity of each child's allergy. Learn more about these symptoms in How to tell if your baby is allergic to milk.
How to confirm
The diagnosis of breast milk allergy is made by the pediatrician, who will assess the baby's symptoms, make the clinical evaluation and, if necessary, order some tests that can confirm it, such as blood samples or skin tests that assess the presence of antibodies.
How the treatment is done
To treat allergy to breast milk, initially, the pediatrician will guide changes in the diet that the mother should make, with the removal of milk and its derivatives during the breastfeeding period, including cakes, desserts and breads that carry this ingredient in its composition..
If the baby's symptoms persist even after this change, an alternative is to supplement the baby's diet with hypoallergenic milks, such as soy, and special infant formulas. Learn more about this treatment on how to feed a child with milk allergy.
