Food Allergies in Newborns

Food Allergies in Newborns: Myths and Reality

The appearance of a rash, green stools, or excessive irritability in a breastfed infant often leads the mother to suspect that she "ate something wrong". The topic food allergy in newborns is surrounded by many myths and strict diets for nursing mothers. Let's find out when it is truly worth worrying and how to act correctly.

How do allergens get into breast milk?

Proteins from the food the mother consumes can pass into her bloodstream, and from there into breast milk. In most children, the immune system does not react to these foreign proteins. However, in infants with a genetic predisposition to allergy, the immune system may perceive them as a threat and trigger an allergic reaction.

Allergy symptoms in infants

The reaction can manifest in various ways:

• Skin manifestations: Atopic dermatitis, hives. This is the most common symptom.
• Gastrointestinal manifestations: Frequent reflux, severe colic, diarrhea (often with mucus or streaks of blood).

What to do? Elimination diet

If an allergy is suspected, it is not advisable to eliminate everything from the diet immediately. The best approach is to keep a food diary and follow an elimination diet under a doctor's supervision. The mother eliminates the most likely allergen for 2–4 weeks (usually starting with cow's milk protein) and monitors the child's condition.