It is the most common food allergy of infancy. Its insidious face is this: the symptoms are often mistaken for "colic," "diaper rash" or a "sensitive baby" and go unnoticed for months.

Symptoms — Across 3 Systems

Digestive: Blood and mucus in the stool (the most typical finding), persistent vomiting/reflux, diarrhea or constipation, refusal to feed, failure to gain weight Skin: Widespread, persistent atopic dermatitis/eczema, urticaria (hives) General: Inconsolable irritability (colic-like crying), rarely sudden-onset swelling and respiratory distress (anaphylaxis — emergency!)

How Is It Diagnosed?

The gold standard is the elimination-challenge process:

  1. Cow's milk protein is completely removed for 2-4 weeks (the mother's diet or a special formula)
  2. If the symptoms improve → the diagnosis is confirmed with a controlled reintroduction Blood/skin tests do not give results in every type; clinical follow-up is essential.

Treatment

  • Breastfeeding mother: Milk, yogurt, cheese, butter, all dairy products and any hidden milk on the label (whey, casein) are removed from the diet. The mother is started on calcium + vitamin D supplementation. Breastfeeding is never stopped!
  • Formula-fed baby: Not standard or goat's milk formulas, but extensively hydrolyzed or, if necessary, amino acid-based special formulas are used (by physician's prescription).
  • During complementary feeding, a plan is made to avoid milk-containing products; the development of tolerance is monitored through regular check-ups.

📅 Book an appointment for assessment if CMPA is suspected — Our Pediatric Allergy service

This content is for informational purposes; please consult your physician for diagnosis and treatment. — Uzm. Dr. Hasan Keleş