Allergy to Cow Milk-1985

Abstract

Cow milk became the most popular nutrient for infant feeding in much of the world near the beginning of the 20th century. It remains so today, especially in industrialized countries, but this widespread dependence on cow milk is not without problems. Physicians who care for infants and children know that intolerance to cow milk is not uncommon. Cow milk allergy can be defined as an adverse immunologic reaction to cow milk protein, seen only rarely in those who ingest ordinary amounts of milk. The term is often mistakenly applied to other causes of milk intolerance, such as lactase deficiency and galactosemia, which must be differentiated and excluded. Reports of the incidence of cow milk allergy in infancy have ranged from 1.9% to 7.5%. The incidence is lower in older children and adults, but precise data are not available for these ages either. The reported incidences vary with the manner of selection of patients and with differing diagnostic criteria. Moreover, there are few reliable laboratory tests available to the clinician who wishes to confirm the diagnosis. Many instances of intolerance to cow milk are mild or transient, and after milk is eliminated from the diet for a few months or years, the symptoms disappear. Only a small percentage (probably 0.1% to 1%) of the population has severe or lifelong cow milk allergy.