According to available research, at least 2% to 8% of the infants are allergic to infant milk and may exhibit symptoms of an infant milk allergy. The prime reason for this is because of the baby’s immune system. Some babies have immune systems that view the milk protein as some sort of a harmful substance and hence try to eliminate it from the body and this causes the allergic reaction.
Symptoms of an infant milk allergy include diarrhea, skin rashes, respiratory problems, less weight gain, vomiting, gas and bloating, or persistent crying. When babies have diarrhea, they will have watery stools maybe four or five times a day. If diarrhea persists for over a week, then it is a classic sign of infant milk allergy. If the baby has an allergy to the protein present in cow’s milk, then they may have rashes on the skin that may be present all over the body or just in some areas of the body.
Some of the other symptoms of an infant milk allergy are vomiting. If the child spits out little bit of the food, it is quite normal. However, if this spitting increases it could be an indication of infant milk allergy. Some infants may also suffer due to excessive abdominal bloating and gas. It is common for babies to suffer from gas, but if the infant is allergic to the milk protein, then it could increase the abdominal gas and cause severe discomfort.
Other classic symptoms of an infant milk allergy are persistent crying. While babies generally cry a lot, persistent crying without any reason could indicate that the infant is probably suffering from abdominal pain that could be caused due to the allergy to milk protein.
In general, the baby’s weight will be double by the end of the sixth month. The reason for the weight gain is due to the main diet, which is milk. However, babies who are allergic to milk will suffer from vomiting and diarrhea most of the time and this will lead to inadequate weight gain. Some babies may exhibit signs of respiratory distress and have trouble breathing.