Is there an allergy to breast milk? How do we know if a breastfed baby has an allergy? Our article focuses onhow to recognize allergies in breastfeeding babies…
What is Allergy in Babies?
Allergy can be summarized as the body’s reaction to any substance. Allergies can occur for different reasons in infants who are only breastfed, allergies during the supplementary food period, allergy reactions in childhood or adulthood. So, how can you recognize allergies in breastfed babies? We researched the answer to this question and summarized the details as follows:
How to recognize allergies in a breastfed baby?
To find out whether a sucking baby has allergies, you need to look at the respiratory, digestive and skin reactions. Only a physician can diagnose an allergy in a sucking baby . However, the mother can consult a physician by observing the baby and taking into account the signs of allergy in the baby .
Symptoms indicating that babies are allergic can be summarized as the baby’s breathing, runny nose, blood in the stool, constipation, diarrhea, recurrent abdominal pain, redness and blistering of the skin.
What are the Symptoms of Allergy in a Breastfed Baby?
If the baby is allergic, it usually manifests itself at three points:
- Digestive system symptoms: Vomiting after repeated sucking, diarrhea, constipation in infants, frequent abdominal pain may indicate that the baby is reacting to a substance in breast milk.
- Respiratory symptoms: Constant nasal congestion in infants and children, which is often mistaken for a common cold but is actually a sign of allergy, is also an important symptom. Wheezing, coughing and frequent runny nose can also indicate a sensitivity to a substance in breast milk.
- Skin allergy symptoms: The skin is usually the first area to show symptoms. Itching, dryness, blistering and localized reddening of the skin may occur.
* The symptoms listed above may also indicate a different condition. Therefore, only a physician can diagnose allergies. However, if you observe the complaints in question; you should consult a physician immediately.
Can Your Baby Be Allergic to Breast Milk?
Sometimes the baby’s first allergic reaction may start while breastfeeding. However , it should not be assumed that the baby is allergic to breast milk. Babies are very unlikely to develop an allergy to breast milk. However, allergies may develop to some foods that pass into breast milk.
Sometimes mothers decide that the baby is directly allergic to breast milk and stop breastfeeding. This is a wrong conclusion based on a wrong idea. The baby’s allergic reaction is to a nutrient that the mother takes in. The food in question passes into the milk and disturbs the baby. So, which foods that the mother takes in can cause the baby to have an allergic reaction?
Let us examine separately which substances in breast milk can cause allergies to the baby, the effect of additives on allergies, and the effects of milk and dairy products in the diet of nursing mothers:
1.Which substances in breast milk cause allergies in babies?
This cannot be concluded without a test. However, reactions to milk and dairy products are very common. The consumption of packaged foods and reactions to preservatives are also common.
2.Prohibition of Milk and Milk Products for Breastfeeding Mothers
Some breastfed babies may develop an allergy that manifests itself as a skin rash and bloody stools. Such allergies usually develop when the mother’s cow’s milk and its products cannot be absorbed by the baby’s intestine. In this case, the mother is banned from milk and dairy products.
Unfortunately, the nutrition of the mother, who is deprived of many foods such as yogurt, cheese, milk and milk desserts, may also be negatively affected by this situation. In such a case, the tests ordered by the physician should be performed and the physician’s decision should be followed. If the mother is asked to stop consuming milk and dairy products, she can follow a nutrition program that is free of these products but still strong.
3.Beware of Additives!
Sweeteners, colorants, thickeners or preservatives added to ready-to-eat foods can also cause allergic reactions. There are nearly 3 thousand additives worldwide. Reactions to these additives are considered to be the cause of increasing food allergies in children in industrialized societies. Hormones and microorganisms in foods can cause unwanted reactions. In infants who are breastfed, the mother’s diet with additives, i.e. intensive consumption of packaged foods, can be one of the main causes of the baby’s allergic reaction.
How to Test a Baby for Allergies?
Allergies may not be diagnosed by laboratory tests in the first 6 months due to the immune system not yet developing. Therefore, clinical diagnosis is more important in the first 6 months.
In older babies, laboratory tests such as skin prick test, specific IgE with RAST, and food alert tests are guiding. Food allergies are of two types: IgE and non-IgE-dependent types.
1.IgE-dependent food allergies
In IgE-dependent food allergies, thefood allergy can be detected in the blood.
2.Non IgE-type food allergies
Food protein-associated enterocolitis is divided into proctocolitis and food protein-associated enteropathies. Diagnosis is made with patient history. After the onset of symptoms, the suspicious food is removed from the diet, and after a while, it is checked whether the situation has changed. If not, a different food is tried again.
As Important as Food Allergy!
Just as important as allergies in babies is how the baby is bottle-fed. This is because the air in the bottle causes the baby to swallow air and causes digestive difficulties. Of course, in this case, the baby becomes restless, does not get enough nutrition, does not sleep well and cannot rest. For this reason , we recommend that you choose bottles that do not cause gas when you express breast milk and give it in a bottle .