Children allergic to cow's milk don't reach their full growth
Milk is rich in high calcium content and is generally considered good
for children's health, but a recent study on the growth pattern of
children suggests the kids who are consistently allergic to cow's milk
are smaller and weigh less.
The results from the longitudinal study are believed to be the first to characterise growth patterns from early childhood to adolescence in children with persistent food allergies.
According to an allergist, it remains unclear how those growth trends ultimately influence how tall these children will become and how much they'll weigh as adults.
However, our findings align with recent research that suggests young adults with persistent cow's milk allergy may not reach their full growth potential, say a Dr.
According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 13 US children has a food allergy with milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, wheat, soy, peanuts and tree nuts accounting for the most serious allergic reactions. Because there is no cure and such allergies can be life-threatening, most people eliminate one or more major allergen from their diets.
From November 1994- March 2015, 191 children werre enrolled in the study, 111 with cow's milk allergies and 80 with nut allergies. All told, they had 1,186 clinical visits between the ages of 2-12. 61 % of children with cow's milk allergies were boys, while 51.3 % of children with peanut or tree nut allergies were boys.
In addition to children allergic to cow's milk being shorter, the height discrepancy was more pronounced by ages 5-8 and ages 9-12. And, for the 53 teens who had clinical data gathered after age 13, differences in their weight and height were even more notable.
As these children often have multiple food allergies and other conditions, such as asthma, there are likely factors besides simply avoiding cow's milk that may contribute to these findings. These children also tend to restrict foods beyond cow's milk, the Dr. adds.
The way such food allergies are handled continues to evolve with more previously allergic children now introducing cow's milk via baked goods, a wider selection of allergen-free foods being available, and an improving understanding of the nutritional concerns related to food allergy.
The Dr. cautions that while most children outgrow cow's milk allergies in early childhood, children who do not may be at risk for growth discrepancies. Future research should focus on improving understanding of this phenomenon.
The results from the longitudinal study are believed to be the first to characterise growth patterns from early childhood to adolescence in children with persistent food allergies.
According to an allergist, it remains unclear how those growth trends ultimately influence how tall these children will become and how much they'll weigh as adults.
However, our findings align with recent research that suggests young adults with persistent cow's milk allergy may not reach their full growth potential, say a Dr.
According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 13 US children has a food allergy with milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, wheat, soy, peanuts and tree nuts accounting for the most serious allergic reactions. Because there is no cure and such allergies can be life-threatening, most people eliminate one or more major allergen from their diets.
From November 1994- March 2015, 191 children werre enrolled in the study, 111 with cow's milk allergies and 80 with nut allergies. All told, they had 1,186 clinical visits between the ages of 2-12. 61 % of children with cow's milk allergies were boys, while 51.3 % of children with peanut or tree nut allergies were boys.
In addition to children allergic to cow's milk being shorter, the height discrepancy was more pronounced by ages 5-8 and ages 9-12. And, for the 53 teens who had clinical data gathered after age 13, differences in their weight and height were even more notable.
As these children often have multiple food allergies and other conditions, such as asthma, there are likely factors besides simply avoiding cow's milk that may contribute to these findings. These children also tend to restrict foods beyond cow's milk, the Dr. adds.
The way such food allergies are handled continues to evolve with more previously allergic children now introducing cow's milk via baked goods, a wider selection of allergen-free foods being available, and an improving understanding of the nutritional concerns related to food allergy.
The Dr. cautions that while most children outgrow cow's milk allergies in early childhood, children who do not may be at risk for growth discrepancies. Future research should focus on improving understanding of this phenomenon.