Overcome Cow's Milk Allergy in Children with Proper Nutrition

Cow's milk allergy makes children unable to consume milk and its derivative products. This may make some parents worry that their child will lack calcium and other nutrients in milk, which are needed for their growth and development.

A milk allergy is one of the most common types of allergies in children. child. Cow's milk allergy occurs when the immune system, which normally fights infection, overreacts to the proteins in cow's milk.

Therefore, whenever a child drinks cow's milk, the immune system perceives it as a dangerous foreign substance, thus releasing a chemical called histamine to fight it . This is what causes allergic reactions.

Children with certain food allergies, including cow's milk, need to pay attention to their nutritional intake so they don't experience nutritional deficiencies that can cause growth disorders.

Symptoms of Cow's Milk Allergy in Children

Symptoms of milk allergy can appear minutes or hours after consuming cow's milk or foods containing milk protein.

These symptoms include:

• Itching
• Wheezing (breathing sounds)
• Tingling around the lips or mouth
• Swelling of the lips, tongue , or throat
• Cough or shortness of breath
• Vomiting
• Stomach pain
• Watering nose and eyes
• Diarrhoea or diarrhea
• Colic

Allergic reactions to cow's milk can be mild and involve only one part of the body, such as itching of the skin. However, you should remain vigilant because a more severe allergic reaction, i.e. anaphylactic shock, is possible.

Anaphylactic shock may have mild symptoms but can worsen rapidly. This reaction will result in a drastic drop in blood pressure, followed by difficulty breathing, and even loss of consciousness.

Anaphylactic shock needs to be treated as soon as possible because it can be life-threatening.

Proper Nutrition for Children with Cow's Milk Allergy

Milk is known as the best source of calcium. Besides calcium, milk also contains protein, as well as vitamins and minerals, such as B vitamins, potassium, and phosphorus. However, the rejection reaction that occurs in children with milk allergies makes calcium and other nutrients found in milk not absorbed properly. Hypoallergenic formula milk can be an alternative for children with allergies, because this type of milk has gone through a protein breakdown process, so that the protein in

Basically, hypoallergenic formula milk is divided into three types, namely partially hydrolyzed milk, extensive hydrolyzed milk, and amino acid-free milk.

Amino acid-free milk is the last option if the child continues to show symptoms of allergy after consuming partially hydrolyzed milk or extensively hydrolyzed milk.

In addition to providing hypoallergenic milk, the child should be given a nutritionally balanced diet. Here is a list of foods with nutrients that are also found in milk:

• Calcium and protein, found in tofu, edamame, sardines, or anchovies
• Iron, found in chicken liver , red meat, poultry, fish, or legumes
• Phosphorus, found in beef liver, seafood, chicken, seeds, or legumes
• Vitamin D, found in sardines, tuna, egg yolks, cod liver oil, or mushrooms
• Vitamin B, found in fruits, eggs, nuts, whole grains, or a variety of vegetables
• Vitamin A, found in beef liver, eggs, carrots, spinach, mango, papaya

No need to worry if your child is allergic to cow's milk. However, before choosing a type of hypoallergenic formula, you are advised to consult with your doctor first, so that the type and dosage of hypoallergenic formula can be adjusted according to age. , weight, and health condition of the child.

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