CMPA: A Guide to Child Cow’s Milk Allergy

by Megan Nash

One of the toughest problems to navigate when it comes to feeding your baby is the emergence of an allergy to the protein in cow’s milk, known as CMPA. Therefore, we wanted to break down exactly what CMPA is, how you can spot it, how it can be diagnosed, and what formula you can use if your baby suffers from allergies.

What is CMPA? What is CMPI?

These two terms stand for Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy and Cow’s Milk Protein Intolerance.

CMPA occurs when the immune system in your child mistakes the protein in cow’s milk as dangerous invaders that need to be attacked. Around two or three in every 100 children has this allergy, but it often disappears by their sixth birthday.

What are the symptoms of CMPA?

  • Swelling in the face
  • Bloating
  • Stunted growth
  • Gas
  • A poorly stomach
  • Wheezing
  • Stool blood/mucus
  • Eczema or similar rashes
  • Colic

How can CMPA be diagnosed?

If you look through the list of symptoms above and your child only has one, it is unlikely CMPA. However, if your child is experiencing multiple symptoms at the same time, it should be taken more seriously, and an appointment should be made with your pediatrician. CMPA can only ever be diagnosed by a licensed professional.

What is the best formula to use for CMPA?

We recommend using either Bebe M or Premiriz as the perfect formulas for children with CMPA and there one sound reason for this:

  1. It has no dairy, no corn, and is 100% rice-based

The vast majority of formulas that are partially hydrolyzed contain some sort of derivative from corn. It can often be tricky to determine exactly what is causing an allergic reaction within a formula, so opting for corn-free and dairy-free products is the safest way forward. Despite this, even most products advertised as formula for ‘sensitive stomachs’ still contain corn. There is currently only one formula, and a rather expensive one at that, in the US that contains no corn or dairy, and that is Similac Alimentum Ready-to-Feed. Fortunately, Europe is here to save the day with two fully vegan & rice -based organic lines of formula.

Final thought

If you have any further questions about CMPA and formula options, do not hesitate to reach out and ask. We are always more than happy to answer questions and offer advice, while there are plenty of Moms and Dads out there who will happily offer help via support and community groups.

 

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