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Understanding Cows' Milk Protein Allergy

Understanding Cows' Milk Protein Allergy

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What are food allergies?

Food allergies occur when the body's immune system (the body's own defense mechanism) responds abnormally to certain foods.

For people with food allergies, the immune system incorrectly identifies certain food components as harmful and produces an inappropriate response. This leads to an unpleasant and on occasions life threatening signs and symptoms associated with allergies.

Cows’ milk allergy (CMA), also known as cows’ milk protein allergy (CMPA), is one of the most common food allergies in babies, and usually appears before 1 year of age.

Lactose intolerance is not to be confused with CMA

CMA is commonly confused with lactose intolerance but they are very different: lactose intolerance does not involve the body's immune system. The two share some signs and symptoms, such as stomach and gut problems (like wind and diarrhoea).

It is important to know the difference between lactose intolerance and CMA, as the two have different causes and also treatments; in addition, CMA usually develops early in life, whereas lactose intolerance is extremely rare before the age of 5 years.

What is CMA?

CMA is a type of milk allergy where a baby's immune system responds to the proteins found in cows’ milk, causing the baby to have allergic symptoms. These can include problems with the skin (rash, hives, dry, scaly or itchy skin), digestive system (diarrhoea, vomiting, constipation and reflux) and respiratory system (noisy breathing, coughing, runny nose). CMA usually occurs before a baby’s first birthday.

What is lactose intolerance?

Lactose intolerance does not involve the immune system. Instead, it is the inability to digest the lactose sugar found in cows’ milk, and it is very rare in children younger than 5 years of age. Lactose is one of the most important carbohydrates (sugars) in breast milk and provides many benefits to babies, such as helping to promote a healthy gut and calcium absorption.

CMA vs. lactose intolerance
Understanding the difference
Infographic of CMA vs Lactose Intolerance
Understand the signs and symptoms of CMA
Symptoms of CMA may affect the digestive system, respiratory system and the skin.

Learn more about the common signs and symptoms of CMA

Symptom Checker
How do I get CMA diagnosed?

Diagnosing CMA can be challenging. If CMA is suspected, you should visit a doctor who can assess and if necessary perform specific tests to help make a diagnosis. 

Learn more about the diagnosis 

How can I prepare for the doctor’s visit?
For a faster and accurate diagnosis of CMA by your doctor, the SmilesBack app helps you to easily record and keep track of your baby’s symptoms and feeds in preparation for your doctor’s appointment.

Learn More About the smilesback app