SKIP TO CHAPTER SKIP TO CHAPTER
What Is EHF? How Do I Know If My Baby Needs Extensively Hydrolyzed Formula? Partially Hydrolyzed Formula versus Extensively Hydrolyzed Formula: What’s the Difference? Does Enfamil A+ Make Extensively Hydrolyzed Formula?

Article Summary:

  • Extensively hydrolyzed formula (also known as EHF) is a hypoallergenic formula that you can give to your little one who has cow’s milk protein allergy. Cow’s milk protein allergy is when the body’s immune system mistakes cow’s milk protein as a harmful substance leading to an immune reaction.
  • In EHF, the cow’s milk proteins are broken down into very small pieces so that your baby’s immune system no longer recognizes the cow’s milk protein as harmful.
  • Partially hydrolyzed formula can help with fussiness and gas, but it shouldn’t be given to infants and children with cow’s milk protein allergy.

What Is EHF?

Extensively hydrolyzed formula is a type of hypoallergenic formula that can offer complete nutrition for infants and children with an allergy to cow’s milk protein.1 As you might have guessed, if a child has CMPA, it means that they’re allergic to the protein found in cow’s milk.2

So, how does an extensively hydrolyzed formula work? Extensively hydrolyzed formula is a special type of cow milk-based formula in which the proteins are broken down into very small pieces.3 This means that your baby’s immune system is less likely to recognize the cow’s milk protein and result in an allergic response.

How Do I Know If My Baby Needs Extensively Hydrolyzed Formula?

It’s important for parents to be on the lookout for signs and symptoms of cow’s milk protein allergy, since this allergy is common in infants and children and can appear in the first few months of life.2 It usually appears before your child is six months old.2 CMPA can result in immediate (IgE) or delayed (non-IgE) symptoms.4

Here are some symptoms of cow’s milk protein allergy:2

Immediate symptoms can include:

  • Hives
  • Itching around the mouth or lips
  • Swelling of lips, tongue or throat
  • Coughing

Slow onset symptoms can include:

  • Diarrhea
  • Blood in stool
  • Abdominal cramps
  • Colic

Getting an official cow’s milk protein allergy diagnosis can give parents peace of mind. To determine if your baby has cow’s milk protein allergy, please see your healthcare provider, they will take a detailed history, perform a physical exam and may consider ordering additional allergy testing.

Partially Hydrolyzed Formula versus Extensively Hydrolyzed Formula: What’s the Difference?

If your baby has a cow’s milk protein allergy, can you give them partially hydrolyzed formula?

The short answer is No: partially hydrolyzed formula is made when cow’s milk protein is broken down into pieces that are small, but not as small as extensively hydrolyzed formula.5 Partially hydrolyzed formulas are made to be easier for your little one to digest and may be helpful for babies who are gassy, or fussy.6 Partially hydrolyzed formula may reduce the risk of eczema for children that are high risk for allergies.7 However, partially hydrolyzed formulas shouldn’t be fed to your baby if he or she has a cow’s milk protein allergy.6 If your baby has a cow’s milk protein allergy, try an extensively hydrolyzed formula instead.1

Not sure whether your formula is partially or extensively hydrolyzed? Look at the ingredient list.6 If you see the words “partially hydrolyzed” in front of the formula’s protein (like whey or casein), the formula is a partially hydrolyzed formula.6 If you see the words “extensively hydrolyzed” on the ingredient or nutritional list, it’s an extensively hydrolyzed formula.

Does Enfamil A+ Make Extensively Hydrolyzed Formula?

Yes, Nutramigen® A+® with LGG® is an extensively hydrolyzed formula available in powder form. If your child has cow’s milk protein allergy, help take control of common cow’s milk protein allergy concern* such as colic^, eczema, vomiting and diarrhea with Nutramigen® A+® with LGG® from Enfamil A+. Talk to your doctor if you suspect your baby has a cow’s milk protein allergy.

If your child has cow’s milk protein allergy, more support is available. Visit the Allergy Centre to learn more about how you can manage your little one’s cow’s milk protein allergy.

* 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.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10096968/
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542243/
  3. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.859627/full
  4. http://gikids.org/digestive-topics/cows-milk-protein-allergy/
  5. https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/info/nutrition/if-nfs-infant-formulas-ingredients-indications.pdf
  6. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/best-formula-for-newborns
  7. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5527395/
Share