My formula-fed baby always seems to have a sore tummy. Could it be an allergy to cow’s milk?

There are many situations that cause tummy ache in babies, such as colic, or overfeeding. However, a very small percentage of babies have either an allergy or intolerance to cow’s milk. An allergy occurs when the body reacts against the food and produces anti-bodies. An intolerance, on the other hand, is caused by an inability to digest the food in question. Since the symptoms are similar it is often difficult to distinguish between the two.

Symptoms:

	Allergy	Intolerance
	vomiting	stomach cramps
	stomach cramps	diarrhoea
	either diarrhoea or constipation	wind
	rash	weight loss
	blocked or runny nose	distended stomach
	coughing or wheezing	stools smell very bad

In either case your baby should change to a soy- based formula. This is not a decision or diagnosis that you should make without consulting your doctor.

<< back

For more info see index >>