Morning Mom’s, did you know that children who are allergic to cow’s milk during their growth period will have the potential to experience stunting?
As we all know, cow’s milk is an alternative nutrition that can help optimize the growth and development of children. But, in fact, there are many children who cannot tolerate the intake of cow’s milk protein, so they experience allergic reactions.
This allergic reaction can have the potential for children to experience stunting as a result of not fulfilling their intake of animal protein, especially cow’s milk products during their growth and development period. Have any of your children experienced anything like this?
Based on data from the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI), the incidence of children with cow’s milk allergy is around 2-7.5% with the highest cases occurring at an early age, or since they were born. Cow’s milk allergy occurs when the body’s immune system misinterprets cow’s milk protein as a substance that is harmful to the body.
Mild to severe symptoms can be felt by children with cow’s milk allergy, including symptoms in the digestive tract, respiratory system and rashes on the skin. If a child with cow’s milk allergy is not treated properly, there will be prolonged symptoms, and an inappropriate elimination diet without adequate replacement can cause the child to have the potential to be stunted.
Talking about Nutrition, “Know the Link between Children with Cow’s Milk Allergy and Stunting” with Danone SN and Applications About Children
Ahead of the commemoration of Allergy Awareness Week 2023, Danone SN seeks to increase parents’ understanding and insight about allergies, especially cow’s milk allergy. Through the Nutrition Talk activity with the theme, “Know the Link between Children with Cow’s Milk Allergy and Stunting”, with resource persons
1. Consultant Allergy Immunology Pediatrician, Dr. dr. Zahrah Hikmah, SpA(K)
2. Chacha Thaib, Mom influencer and mother with a child allergic to cow’s milk
3. Pediatrician and Application Founder About Children, dr. Mesty Ariotedjo, Sp.A
On this occasion, Danone SN would like to raise awareness for parents regarding the short and long term effects of cow’s milk allergy which must be taken seriously, because if ignored it will hamper the growth and development of children, and the risk of stunting
According to the Ministry of Health, the results of the Indonesian Nutritional Status Survey show that the prevalence of stunting in Indonesia is around 21.6% in 2022. The study found that the prevalence of stunting in children with food allergies was 9%, and even reached 24% in the group of children diagnosed with allergies. cow’s milk protein.
Consultant Allergy Immunology Pediatrician, Dr. dr. Zahrah Hikmah, SpA(K), explained “When a child drinks cow’s milk, the immune system perceives it as a dangerous foreign substance, so it releases a chemical called histamine, a chemical that is produced when the body is naturally allergic to fight it. The function of histamine itself is to protect the body from various harmful substances.
The impact experienced by children with cow’s milk allergy is that the child’s height is much lower than children without cow’s milk allergy. Besides having an impact on children’s health, nutritional status, and the physical stimulation that children receive, it also has an impact on the emotional quality of parents.
Children with cow’s milk allergies will lack calcium and other nutrients that are needed for the growth and development of children. The emergence of long-term impacts that have the potential for stunting in children must certainly be a concern. Until now, stunting is a problem that cannot be resolved in Indonesia. The existence of a relationship between cow’s milk allergy and the growth and development of children, which triggers stunting, must certainly be of concern to various parties.
Chacha Thaib, Mom influencer who is a mother with a child with a cow’s milk allergy, shared her experience in dealing with and overcoming a cow’s milk allergy to her daughter, Binar.
At first Chaca was shocked and worried when Binar started to have allergic symptoms after drinking cow’s milk. Worried that it will affect his growth and development, if his child will experience a lack of nutritional intake. Moreover, he knows that there will be long-term effects for children with cow’s milk allergy, which can potentially cause stunting if not treated immediately. The first step he took was to immediately consult a doctor, so that his child could be treated appropriately.
Handling and Management of Cow’s Milk Allergy
Management of cow’s milk allergy can be done by parents as soon as possible, by eliminating foods that contain cow’s milk, looking for other food alternatives to meet nutrition, consulting, and following doctor’s instructions or suggestions, and carrying out regular growth monitoring.
Monitoring the growth and development of children is also important for parents to do, by doing the following:
1. Identification of allergic triggers/cow’s milk protein
2. Avoid foods and drinks that contain cow’s milk protein and its products
3. Carefully read food labels
4. Ensure adequate nutrition
5. Monitor children’s nutritional status
6. Consult a pediatrician, after 6 months of elimination
• First 6 months: monitoring weight, length, diet compliance at 1, 2 and 4 months of age.
• Second 6 months: evaluation of weight, PB, and abstinence compliance at 6, 9 and 12 months of age.
• After 1 year of age, evaluate growth every 6-12 mth.
• In children over 1 year of age, evaluation and assessment of nutritional intake and nutritional status.
Mom’s, early detection and management of cow’s milk allergy is very important, and the main principle of therapy is to avoid all forms of cow’s milk products. Impaired growth and development, including stunting, can be avoided by proper management of cow’s milk allergy.
Substitute formula must be adapted to the patient’s condition according to IDAI recommendations, and monitoring of growth and development in children allergic to cow’s milk must be carried out regularly. Remember, Mom’s, giving soy milk is good for children allergic to cow’s milk, but it’s better not to make homemade milk made from soy.
But soy milk that has been specially formulated such as SGM Eksplor ISOPRO SOY has nutritional content as good as cow’s milk, such as DHA, IronC and Quality Soy Protein Isolate, it has also been fortified with other important nutrients such as Omega 3 & 6, Calcium, Vit D, Zinc, Vit C, & Food Fiber support the little one who doesn’t fit cow’s milk to grow optimally for our children.
