Cow Milk Allergy In Children

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Children's immune power is still low, causing them vulnerable to various attacks of disease. Not infrequently they can also experience allergies to various causes that exist in their environment. Allergy itself is defined as a hypersensitivity reaction caused by an immune reaction that adversely affects the tissues or interferes with human physiological processes.

As we all know that the best food for babies is breast milk. However, there are times when certain conditions a mother cannot produce/give milk to the baby, and in these conditions, so inevitably the baby must get food intake other than breast milk is often replaced by formula milk role. With the increasing number of infants and toddlers today who consume formula milk, the case of cow milk allergy in infants and children becomes a common case and is not rare anymore.

In general, there are 3 things that can cause allergies, including, namely:

1. Genetic factors. In this case, allergies can occur due to inherited by parents, both parents (the risk of allergic children is 50-80%) one parent (with a risk of about 20-40%), or no history of allergies at all from both parents (the risk of allergic children is 5-15%)
2. Immaturity of the Intestine. This happens because the baby's digestive system cannot digest protein optimally because the activity of digestive enzymes has not been perfect so as to facilitate allergen into the body.
3. Allergy Exposure. The allergic exposure that stimulates IgE-specific production can occur since the baby is in the womb. Exclusive breastfeeding reduces the number of hypersensitive infants to food, the provision of complementary food increases the incidence of allergies.

Allergy symptoms

1. Common symptoms are usually related:

Digestion, skin, and breathing

2. Can appear in the form:

• Skin rash/itching
• Sneezing / coughing / runny nose / nose
• Shortness of breath/asthma
• Vomiting / diarrhea / constipation / nausea
• Difficult to eat so that weight is difficult to ride

Cow's milk allergy itself is defined as an immune system reaction to cow's milk protein, which can affect the gastrointestinal system and other organ systems. In severe cases, this can be life-threatening.

Read also : Differences of Cow Milk Allergy and Lactose Intolerance

Many things around the environment of our children that can cause allergies. Therefore as parents, we are required to be vigilant, recognize the things that can cause allergies in our children, either because of food, air, environment, and objects that exist around them.

Clinically Causes of cow's milk allergy in children include the following:

1. The immune system identifies certain milk proteins as substances that are harmful to the body, thus triggering the formation of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to neutralize the protein (allergens
2. As a result, when the body is in contact with the protein, the IgE antibody will be able to recognize the same protein and signify the immune system to release histamine and other chemicals.
3. Histamine and chemicals released by the body cause various allergic reactions

To deal with cases of cow's milk allergy there are several things we can do:

1. Avoid milk protein in total (milk, butter, yogurt, ice cream, cheese)
2. Babies are breastfed and mothers should pay attention to their dietary intake (avoid swab milk and derivative products)
3. Give milk replacement formula with complete nutrition

Ultimately, the precautions we can take when doctors have diagnosed our allergic child are:

Primary Prevention

• Take precautions before any sensitive reactions to allergic sources
• Avoid the fetus of a family with atopic talent
• Give hypogenic milk and avoid other allergenic hypo foods and cigarette smoke

Secondary prevention

• Can also be done after the sensitization but has not manifested allergic diseases
• The most optimal precautions are when the child is 0-3 years old
• Give nonallergenic cow's milk or a perfectly hydrolyzed or soy milk

Tertiary Prevention

• In children who experience sensitization and exhibit allergic manifestations such as atopic dermatitis or rhinitis but not as severe as asthma
• When the optimal action is age 6 months to 4 years
• Give cow's milk which is fully hydrated or milk substitute and provision of preventive medicine, cigarette smoke avoidance, immunotherapy or immunomodulator