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How to Detect Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy When Does Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy Start? Are There Tests for Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy? Why Is Early Allergy Detection Important? Can You Prevent Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy? Managing Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy

Article Summary

  • Symptoms of cow’s milk protein allergy include a variety of symptoms. CMPA can result in immediate (IgE) symptoms such as hives, itching and swelling around the mouth or lips, or delayed (non-IgE) symptoms such as diarrhea, blood in stool and colic
  • You might notice these symptoms within the first few months of welcoming your child into the world.
  • Children with untreated CMPA may experience weight loss or failure to thrive.

How to Detect Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy

To detect cow’s milk protein allergy in infants and babies, it’s important to understand what the symptoms of this allergy look like. You might notice the following signs and symptoms if your little one is allergic to the protein in cow’s milk:1

Immediate (IgE) symptoms:

  • Hives
  • Itching
  • Swelling around the mouth or lips
  • Difficulty breathing

Delayed (non-IgE) symptoms:

  • Diarrhea
  • Blood in stool
  • Colic

Contact your healthcare provider if you notice your baby has these symptoms.1

When Does Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy Start?

You might notice cow’s milk protein allergy symptoms within the first six months of welcoming your child into the world.2 An early sign of CMPA in infants is streaks of blood in their stool, which you might notice when they’re 2-8 weeks old.3 CMPA can result in immediate (IgE) or delayed (non-IgE) symptoms (see above).4

Are There Tests for Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy?

If you notice symptoms of cow’s milk protein allergy in your little one, contact your healthcare provider. To manage CMPA, you need to remove cow milk protein from your baby’s diet. For breastfeeding moms, mom’s must exclude all dairy products from their diet .5 For formula fed infants, try an extensively hydrolyzed formula.5 This is a special type of formula that breaks down the protein in cow’s milk so that your baby’s immune system doesn’t react to it.5 Your healthcare provider may also recommend a skin prick test or a blood test.2

Why Is Early Allergy Detection Important?

Cow’s milk protein allergy symptoms like abdominal pain can be extremely uncomfortable for your child. By recognizing the symptoms of CMPA early and getting a diagnosis, you can help manage your child’s allergy and make them feel more comfortable.

Additionally, children with untreated cow’s milk protein allergy may experience poor weight gain.6 Long-term complications from CMPA include an increased risk of developmental delays, iron deficiency anemia, behavioral disorders and increased risk for other allergic conditions.6 Getting an early diagnosis can help you avoid CMPA complications in your little one.6

Can You Prevent Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy?

Scientists don’t know what causes cow’s milk protein allergy.3 It tends to be more common in children whose family members have allergies, asthma and eczema.3 If you have family members with these conditions, it’s especially important to be on the lookout for cow’s milk protein allergy in your little one.

Managing Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy

You can help manage your child’s cow’s milk protein allergy by giving them an extensively hydrolyzed formula, Nutramigen® A+® with LGG® which provides complete nutrition. Take control of common cow's milk protein allergy concerns* such as colic^, eczema, vomiting and diarrhea** with Nutramigen® A+® with LGG®. Talk to your doctor if you suspect that your baby has cow's milk protein allergy.

If your child has cow’s milk protein allergy, you’re not alone. Visit the allergy centre to learn more about allergy symptoms and management.

* HCPs evaluated infants with suspected cow's milk protein allergy by the follow-up visit and reported improvement in infants with the following common symptoms observed in the current study: 90% improvement in diarrhea, 74% improvement in reflux/regurgitation, 86% improvement in vomiting, 95% improvement in bloody stools, and 86% improvement in rash/eczema.

** within 3-6 weeks between initial and follow-up visits.

^ 90% infants experienced relief within 48 hrs, due to cow's milk protein allergy.

  1. https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics/cows-milk-protein-allergy-babies
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542243
  3. https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/cmpa
  4. http://gikids.org/digestive-topics/cows-milk-protein-allergy/
  5. https://cdhf.ca/en/digestive-conditions/cows-milk-allergy/
  6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10318537
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