Misdiagnosing Milk Intolerance
For formula-feeding parents, a big worry is that your baby might be allergic to, or intolerant of, cow’s milk formula. This can lead to a lot of trial-and-error of different brands and types of formulas. A new study has suggested some parents are misdiagnosing milk intolerance and may be too hasty when it comes to switching formulas–especially without consulting a health professional.
The researchers found that nearly half of formula-fed babies experience a formula change in the first six months. Could parents be over-reacting? While a relatively small study, they found no difference in infant intolerance to either milk-based or partially hydrolyzed whey protein formula. (The later is a formula modified to remove some of the proteins found in cows’ milk.)
While regurgitation, crying, fussiness, and colic can be signs of intolerances, similar episodes are also normal during early infancy. But anxious parents may mistake these normal episodes as formula intolerance.
The best course of action seems to be talking to a health-care professional, such as your child’s pediatrician. Breast-fed babies can also spit up, have colic, reflux, and/or general digestion discomfort. Both of my daughters were breast fed, and each had horrible nighttime crying fits around three and four months old. It never mattered what I ate (or didn’t eat). We just had to comfort them as best we could.
Dairy allergies and intolerance are real, but perhaps may not be as prevalent as some parents fear.
thordora Said,
June 26, 2009 @ 6:41 pm
My oldest reacted poorly to the standard formula for awhile, so I moved her on to soy for a brief period of time-from what I could tell, it was just after having a bit of the flu or something, when the stomach is just touchy. I’m incredibly intolerant to dairy, so I was just being careful. Moved her back when she tolerated it.
My doctor was less than useful. he shrugged. Very helpful. We had physical symptoms though-we never relied on her crying as a guide since it really wasn’t helpful either.
Erica Said,
June 27, 2009 @ 12:25 am
I breastfed Sophia and she was colicky. I found that removing dairy from my diet helped A LOT.
Julie Said,
June 27, 2009 @ 3:29 pm
It seems dairy is the big, bad food item of late that is supposed to cause a whole bunch of problems. I wonder why it has been so demonized.
Erica Said,
June 27, 2009 @ 10:15 pm
I haven’t heard milk being demonized really. I know that many people have a problem digesting proteins in milk (the cause of dairy intolerance). Gluten is the food I keep hearing is the grand evil of all evils. I know people that don’t have a gluten problem who are going gluten free.