New Guidelines on Formula Choices for Infants with Cow's Milk Allergy

Filed in archive Food Allergies on September 24, 2007

Doctors and researchers in Europe have set new guidelines on the diagnosis and management of cows milk allergy in children.


The allergy experts drew up the Act Against Allergy Taskforce, and recommend against the use of soy as a milk substitute especially among infants under six months old, due to the risk of secondary intolerance. Instead, allergic infants are advised to be given only extensively hydrolyzed formula or an amino-acid based formula. They also recommended against formulas based on milk from other mammals, such as sheep, buffalo, horse, camel, or goat, because of the high risk of cross-reactivity, as well as unmodified grain-, legume-, and nut-based milk substitutes, including rice, oat, and almond, because these provide too little nutrition.

I don't know if this should have any bearing on the above, but the Act Against Allergy Taskforce guidelines were supported by an educational grant from SHS International, which makes a brand of extensively hydrolyzed formula. I do see the scientific basis of their guidelines, and my son has been on an extensively hydrolyzed formula for a short period, too. But I find it a bit strange to see that there was no mention of breastfeeding as an option, particularly for infants with cow's milk allergy. I'm not a breastfeeding zealot, but I believe that it should be the foremost recommendation for young infants, allergies or none.