Many a new mom dealing with a fussy newborn (and truthfully, what newborn isn't fussy?), has suspected that her suffering sweetheart must accept a cow'southward milk allergy or intolerance, specially when well-intentioned friends and relatives are also blaming milk.

If you're breastfeeding or exclusively pumping, you may presume it's the dairy in your diet that's causing your little one to wail; if yous're formula feeding, you assume it'southward the cow's milk in the infant formula that's causing the problem.

Although information technology is ane of the more than common allergies in infants, milk allergies still but affect an estimated 2 to 3 percentage of babies. Confusing the issue further is that many people are unaware of the differences between a milk allergy, an intolerance to milk and lactose intolerance.

To articulate up the confusion, here'south the breakdown on milk allergies and intolerance in breastfed and formula-fed babies.

What's the difference between milk allergies vs. lactose intolerance?

With a milk allergy in infants, a baby's immune system reacts negatively to the proteins in cow's milk. Breastfed babies are reacting to the dairy his mother has eaten (the milk proteins pass through breast milk), while formula-fed babies are reacting to the cow'south milk proteins in the formula. In either instance, a baby'south immune system sees the moo-cow'south milk proteins as foreign substances.

Milk intolerance, on the other paw, has nothing to practise with moo-cow's milk proteins or the immune arrangement, and instead has to do with the digestive arrangement. Your child might take loose stools or claret in stool hours or days subsequently.

Built lactose intolerance is anextremely rare metabolic condition that too impacts the digestive organization. Lactose intolerance (lactose is a sugar found in dairy products) more commonly develops in older kids and adults. The few babies with lactose intolerance will commonly fare much improve on a formula with little or no lactose.

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What are the symptoms of milk allergies in babies?

In its efforts to fend off the invaders, the body releases histamine and other chemicals, which cause allergic symptoms in the body.

Symptoms of milk allergies in babies include:

  • Frequent spitting up
  • Airsickness
  • Signs of abdominal pain, or colic-like symptoms, such as excessive crying and irritability (particularly after feedings)
  • Diarrhea
  • Blood in stool
  • Hives
  • A scaly pare rash
  • Coughing or wheezing
  • Watery eyes and stuffy nose
  • Problem breathing or a bluish skin colour
  • Swelling (specially of the mouth and throat)

What are the symptoms of lactose intolerance in babies?

Symptoms of lactose intolerance in babies include:

  • Gas
  • Diarrhea
  • Bloated stomach
  • Spitting up
  • Irritability, crying or other colic symptoms
  • Failure to thrive and gain weight

How is a milk allergy in infants diagnosed?

If your baby has symptoms of either a milk allergy or milk intolerance, see your pediatrician. He or she volition probably check for both with a concrete exam, an exam of your baby's stool, a discussion your family's history of allergies and/or a skin-prick examination.

If your doc thinks your baby may have a milk allergy or intolerance, then you lot'll probably be asked to eliminate milk from your diet (if you're breastfeeding) or switch to a unlike formula (more on that below) to come across whether your newborn's symptoms improve.

After your baby has been cow'south-milk-costless for about a week, the doctor may have you reintroduce moo-cow's milk to see whether your petty ane has a reaction to it.

How is a milk allergy in babies treated?

If it turns out that your newborn is one of the ii to 3 percent of babies who has a milk allergy, don't despair. Many children outgrow a milk allergy by the fourth dimension they're effectually 1 year old, and the majority of babies with milk allergies outgrow the condition by near age three.

In the meantime, your child's dr. may recommend the following:

  • If your baby is formula-fed: Your pediatrician volition suggest switching to a dissimilar formula. Because many babies with milk allergies are likewise allergic to soy (and to caprine animal'south milk), the physician may propose a hypoallergenic formula with hydrolysate protein, which has milk proteins that are already partly broken down, and so it'south less likely to cause a reaction.
  • If you're breastfeeding or exclusively pumping: Your pediatrician will likely recommend that y'all ditch dairy in your diet to run into whether that makes a difference to your infant. Of form, making a major alter to your diet is probably the last thing you want to retrieve about when dealing with a fussy newborn, but it may very well resolve the result. If you do eliminate dairy, be sure to talk with your doctor most how to make sure you're nevertheless getting enough calcium and other nutrients in your nutrition.