The baby cries
If crying, abdominal pain or diarrhoea occur a few hours after eating, this can be one of the many indications of an allergy. These are not only visible through skin rashes or an asthmatic cough. The gastrointestinal tract can also be a sign of allergies.
Because the symptoms are so varied and the triggers can be so diverse, it is worthwhile for parents to know what an allergy is and how it can be diagnosed. Because only when the cause is clear can the baby be helped.
This is what is meant by an allergy
Allergies to substances are always a reaction of the immune system. The immune system mistakenly recognises substances as bacteria and reacts with signs of inflammation.
Susceptibility to allergies is often inherited. However, babies can also develop allergies without any genetic predisposition. A disturbed bacterial colonisation in the intestine supports the development of allergies. This is why children born by caesarean section are more frequently affected by allergies than children born normally. They did not pass through the vagina and therefore had no contact with the mother's bacteria. Breast milk feeding reduces the likelihood of allergies. Nevertheless, fully breastfed children can also have allergies.
Allergies can be to food or individual components thereof, but also to countless other substances. The reaction to the allergen becomes stronger with more frequent contact. The immune system reacts more and more strongly to the allergen. However, some children react violently even to their first mash. This is a reaction that the immune system only shows if it is already familiar with the allergen. In these cases, it will have made the acquaintance in any case. Not via the porridge. But via another route. Often this cannot be traced exactly. However, the sensitisation may have been caused by skin contact alone.
The symptoms of the allergy are shown here
Allergies manifest themselves on the skin. Redness, itching or scaly patches develop there. Eyes water and burn. This gives the impression of conjunctivitis.
Because the allergen enters the body and is excreted again, the entire passage of the food in the body can show symptoms of inflammation. This begins in the nose with sneezing, swollen mucous membranes and paranasal sinuses and continues through the mouth and throat. There it can lead to coughing and breathing difficulties. Difficulty swallowing or refusal to eat can also be signs of an allergy.
In the gastrointestinal tract, allergens lead to abdominal pain, nausea, flatulence and diarrhoea, which can also be bloody. The general condition is disturbed by allergies. The autoimmune reaction can also manifest itself in a fever. Babies with allergies often also show feeding and failure to thrive problems.
If your baby experiences abdominal pain, flatulence or diarrhoea a few hours after eating, this may be a sign of an allergy.
An acute allergic reaction can be life-threatening. The trigger is not the quantity of the allergen, but the violent reaction of the immune system to a substance categorised by the body as an allergen. If babies or children show severe physical reactions, signs of clouding of consciousness or a seriously ill child, this is always an emergency. Then you cannot wait. The child must be taken to a paediatric clinic immediately. However, babies usually have mild symptoms. There is usually plenty of time to investigate the cause calmly.
What can trigger allergic reactions in milk pudding?
In principle, the baby can react to all ingredients. The most common cause is an allergy to cow's milk protein. However, wheat or rice can also trigger allergic reactions. Even the fat in the porridge can trigger the problem.
As coeliac disease, infections, intestinal diseases and intolerances cause similar symptoms, a closer look must always be taken and a doctor consulted if the baby's general condition is impaired.
This is how cow's milk allergy manifests itself in the first year of life:
Many parents believe that cow's milk allergy mainly manifests itself on the skin. In fact, skin symptoms can occur. However, they are relatively rare. Much more frequently, affected babies have problems with the digestive system. They have colic, vomit profusely, have constipation or diarrhoea, which can also be bloody. Respiratory problems (asthma) can also be symptoms of cow's milk allergy.
However, this occurs much less frequently than digestive complaints. Each of these symptoms spoils the baby's joy of life. Allergies have dramatic consequences for the baby's development if they are not treated.
If the baby does not receive cow's milk for a few days and the symptoms improve. Then the cow's milk is almost certainly the cause of the symptoms. Whether the cause is really an allergy or an intolerance still needs to be clarified.
However, the search for the trigger is often extremely arduous. This is because not all forms of allergies can be detected with an allergy test. At the beginning, the doctor will always ask about possible triggers. It is important to know what the baby has eaten and drunk or what foods the breastfeeding mum has consumed. Even though breastfeeding - especially in the first few months of life - protects the baby from allergies, allergies can also occur in breastfed children. This is because some allergens are found in breast milk. These can be nuts, especially peanuts, but also cow's milk protein and other substances.
In order to diagnose the allergy, parents must help. The first step is to try to eliminate the most likely triggers of the allergic reaction from the diet or contact. If there is an improvement after a few days, the first indication of the allergy has been found. The next step is to decide which method is the right one to determine the allergy. For parents, this search often feels like poking around in the fog. In fact, however, the omission test is the only reliable test method.
The typical allergens in infants are cow's milk, soya, wheat, nuts (especially peanuts), hen's eggs and fish. However, meat can also trigger allergies.
Most of these allergies develop over the course of development. If the baby has an allergic reaction to cow's milk as an infant, this does not mean that cow's milk will still be an allergen in adulthood.
Stabilising the immune system helps all children and is particularly important for babies with allergies. Probiotics are bacteria that are important for the immune system. These are available to buy as drops for babies. Bigaia* is one of these products that positively influence baby's intestinal flora and thus the immune system.
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