Jakarta. Parents sometimes do not realize if their children have allergies to cow’s milk. Therefore, parents should understand and be aware of symptoms that might appear, one of it is children whose faeces mixed with blood.

Cow’s milk allergy usually occurs in babies who are given formula milk and derivatived allergy handed down by one or both parents. This happens because allergic problems are influenced by genetic, environmental, and immunology.

“Little baby suffering diarrhea with blood, it could be due to cow’s milk allergy,” said Dr. dr. Zakiudin Munasir, SpA (K) in educating the media event ‘Cow Milk Allergy is Not a Child Growth Barriers‘ at the Hotel Gran Melia, Jakarta, Wednesday ( 27/04/2011).

Dr Zakiudin said most baby patients are often have problems in gastrointestinal tract and skin. Other clinical symptoms appear, such as swelling and itching in the mouth until tongue, pain and stomach cramps, vomiting to heavy bloody diarrhea. Could also on the respiratory tract such as recurrent cough, shortness of breath and asthma.

Cow’s milk allergy in children may actually may happening because the baby is sensitive to milk protein components (most often due to beta-lactoglobulin) or in the process of making milk, so that components of this protein will react with antibodies that trigger the formation of immunoglobulin E (IgE).

“Usually if cow milk was taken 1-2 times, it doesn’t show reaction, and this allergy is at least known after a week,” said the doctor who served as Chairman of the Allergy-Immunology Section Division of Child Health, Faculty of medicine-RSCM.

Dr Zakiudin says try to stop giving cow’s milk or any products that contain cow’s milk for 2 weeks and the symptoms disappear, then try to give it back. If allergic symptoms appear once more,  it could be a milk cow that’s originators.

But in infants usually by testing through the blood to see if results are positive or not.Meanwhile, allergic skin test is usually performed on children over 3 years.

“The unexclusive breastfeeding or not until 6 months can also increase the risk of allergies in children,” said the doctor was born in Mojokerto 57 years ago.

If child has positive allergy to cow’s milk, that doesn’t mean it will hinder his growth and development.Because there are few alternatives of milk substitutes for children :

  • Hypoallergenic milk, cow’s milk that was partially processed through hydrolysis for prevention.
  • Extensive hydrolysis milk, cow’s milk that was perfectly processed through hydrolysis for children who are allergic to cow’s milk.
  • Soy formula (milk formula), it is a milk that comes from soybeans and is used for children who are allergic to cow’s milk.

“Most babies does not like extensive hydrolysis milk because its unpleasant or bitter taste, so parents usually prefer to give soy formula that tastes better and cheaper,” Dr ujat Zakiudin.

Dr Zakiudin also revealed that usually at the age of 3 years old, this allergy will go away along with with the more mature child’s digestive system and generally not for life.