Cows' Milk Allergy in Infants Affects Entire Family
Nearly two-thirds of parents say it negatively impacts on family lifeCows' milk allergy (CMA) has considerable negative effects on the family unit, as exposed by findings from an international survey of 1,000 parents. In addition to coping with the disturbing physical effects of CMA on the child (including vomiting, diarrhoea, failure to thrive and eczema), 70% of parents said that it makes them feel guilty and distressed and 82% said that it has caused them to lose sleep.
Cows' milk is the most common cause of food allergy in infants and children, affecting approximately 2-3% of infants internationally and over 10,000 babies in the UK. The major symptoms of cows' milk allergy include skin rash, wheezing, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, failure to thrive (put on weight) and distress.
|
| |
| Article continues below advertisement |
|
| |
Dr. Martin Brueton, an Act Against Allergy Advisory Board Member and Paediatric Gastroenterologist at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, commented: "Having a child with cows' milk allergy can be very stressful for parents. The average child with cows' milk allergy suffers an array of symptoms, from skin rashes to gastric problems, cries a lot and is incapable of properly putting on weight. Parents feel helpless as the instinct to feed their infant even more milk - usually the infant`s sole food source - compounds rather than solves the problem. Until the child is properly diagnosed and put onto a suitable milk substitute, the impact on the parents and the family as a whole is considerable."
In the survey, commissioned by Act Against Allergy, further impact on family life was revealed. As a direct result of having a child with CMA, half the respondents have missed work, over a third have argued with their partner and 39% said the lives of other children in the family have also been disrupted.
These findings were no surprise to Natalie Hammond, from Hertfordshire, whose son Joe was diagnosed with CMA when he 6 months old. Joe was initially misdiagnosed and even underwent surgery for a twisted bowel before doctors finally discovered that CMA was the cause of his illness. Mrs. Hammond said: "It was heartbreaking and frightening seeing Joe so sick "he would vomit and had blood in his stools. We felt utterly powerless, and couldn't believe a simple food like milk could do this. It took a long time to get over this terrifying and stressful experience."
Cows' milk is one of the European Union's 'big eight' allergy-inducing foods alongside gluten, eggs, fish, peanuts, soya, treenuts and shellfish. More serious than lactose intolerance, a true milk allergy presents in one or more of three organ systems:
 Gastrointestinal (vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, bloating) affecting 50-60% of those with CMA
Skin (rashes, including eczema and atopic dermatitis) 50-70%
Respiratory (wheeze, cough, runny nose) 20-30%
About the parent survey
The telephone survey, commissioned by Act Against Allergy, was conducted by an independent market research company among 1,000 parents of children aged 0-3 years of age from: the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, 219 of which were identified as having children with known CMA.
The survey findings were that:
82% of parents say that their child's CMA has caused them to lose sleep
70% of parents say their child's CMA makes them feel guilty
Half (49%) of parents say they have had to miss work because of their child's allergy
Half (49%) say their child failed to thrive as a result of CMA
39% say the lives of other children in the family have also been disrupted
38% claim that CMA has caused arguments with their partner
Read More About Cows' Milk Allergy
June 2007 |
| |
| |
|
