Innføring av
melkeprodukter

Søk veiledning fra helsepersonell

Siden melkeallergi arter seg veldig ulikt for hvert enkelt barn må lege som kjenner barnet vurdere når og hvordan det er best å introdusere melkeprodukter. Om barnet har hatt en alvorlig reaksjon på kumelk kan det tyde på at allergien vil vedvare lenger enn for barn med milde reaksjoner.

Om du ikke føler deg sikker på hvordan du bør gå frem for å introdusere melk til barnet ditt bør du kontakte legen som behandler barnet ditt å få en veiledning. Mange anbefaler å teste første gang når barnet er 1 år gammelt, men dette vil også variere basert på det enkelte barns symptombilde.

Kid eating cereal

The Milk
Ladder

Adding milk to your baby’s diet with the Milk Ladder

Adding milk back into your baby’s diet should be done gradually, for example, using the “Milk Ladder” (Venter et al., 2017) (link). To start with, milk is introduced in its least allergenic form (i.e., well-cooked or baked). When your baby shows no negative reaction then other forms of cow’s milk can be added, for example cooked or processed milk products.

The Milk Ladder uses a stepwise approach to introducing milk while your baby’s progress should be continuously monitored by their dietitian. Eventually, at step 6, your baby will have reached the top of the Milk Ladder and will be able to try different milks or formula.

How long this takes varies between each individual child and hence it is so important that this process is monitored by your Dietitian or Pediatrician. Never embark on this without your healthcare professional knowing.

Kid drinking milk

What should I do if my baby reacts to a food on the Milk Ladder?

When you start giving your baby their first solids think about the texture. Ideally the first foods should be smooth like a puree (e.g. yoghurt consistency).

As your baby starts taking more solid foods (>6 months of age) you can adjust the texture to mashed with some lumps. In the table below we provided some examples. Some experts also advise that giving your baby cooked egg and then peanuts from around 4 months of age, may even protect your baby from developing other allergies (BSACI & BDA 2018).

What to do with
allergic reactions?

What should I do if my baby accidentally consumes dairy or cow's milk when allergic?

This is quite common. And despite all precautions, there are times when allergy babies accidentally eat dairy or cow’s milk products. When this happens, and if you are present, make a note of how soon the reaction occurred after the food was eaten, note the symptoms your baby experienced, and if any other foods were also consumed. Be sure to contact your baby’s allergy doctor for advice.

Note: If the reaction was mild, such as hives or angioedema (swollen eyelids), an over the counter (or prescription strength) antihistamine can ease their symptoms. BUT you should always discuss it with a doctor before giving these medications.

If the allergic reaction is more severe, for example your baby’s throat or tummy (digestive system) is also affected — then you should use adrenaline (epinephrine). If your child has a severe reaction or signs of anaphylaxis, administer adrenaline and then call for emergency medical assistance.

It is very important to discuss this with your baby’s allergy doctor in advance, so you know exactly what you need to do in an emergency!