This site is intended only for the use of UK Healthcare Professionals

Clinical Signs of Cow’s Milk Allergy in Infants: IgE vs Non-IgE Mediated Reactions

Cows' Milk Allergy
Cows' Milk Allergy
  • 08/04/2022
What are the symptoms of cows’ milk allergy?

Video description

Information for Healthcare Professional Use Only

This short video explains how IgE-mediated and non-IgE-mediated cow’s milk allergies (CMA) present differently in infants, emphasising the importance of recognising symptom patterns across body systems for accurate diagnosis and management.

Highlights

  • IgE-mediated CMA causes rapid onset symptoms, typically affecting the skin (hives, redness, swelling), gut (oral itching, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea), and respiratory system (hay fever-like symptoms). Severe cases may result in anaphylaxis.
  • Non-IgE-mediated CMA results in delayed symptoms, often across multiple systems:
    - Skin: Persistent eczema, redness, itching.
    - Gut: Vomiting, reflux, loose stools ("poonamis"), soft stool constipation, blood in stool, and anal redness.
    - Growth: Severe cases may show faltering growth (poor weight/height gain).
  • Respiratory symptoms are not typically recognised by National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) for non-IgE CMA, but Milk Allergy in Primary Care (MAP) guidelines acknowledge congestion in affected infants.
  • Multiple symptoms across systems—rather than a single isolated sign—are a hallmark of non-IgE-mediated CMA. You may also be interested in this webinar about CMA diagnosis and management.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

We believe that breastfeeding is the ideal nutritional start for babies and we fully support the World Health Organisation’s recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life followed by the introduction of adequate nutritious complementary foods along with continued breastfeeding up to two years of age.
We also recognise that breastfeeding may not be an option due to certain medical conditions. Parents should only feed infant formula for special medical purposes under supervision of a healthcare professional after full consideration of all feeding options, including breastfeeding. Continued use has to be assessed by the healthcare professional in relation to the baby's progress bearing in mind any social and financial implications for the family. Infant formula should always be prepared, used and stored as instructed on the label in order to avoid risks to a baby’s health.

Other content you might be interested in
Can a mother still breastfeed an infant with cows’ milk allergy?
Cows' Milk Allergy
Cows' Milk Allergy

VIDEOS

Clinical Guidance: Managing Cow’s Milk Allergy in Infants While Breastfeeding

Information for Healthcare Professional Use OnlyThis short video answers the question ‘Can a mother still breastfeed an infant with cows’ milk allergy?’. The video outlines best practices for breastfeeding infants with cow's milk allergy (CMA), emphasising that breast milk remains the preferred feeding option, even when CMA is present.HighlightsBreast milk is recommended as the first choice for all infants, including those with CMA.If an infant shows symptoms potentially linked to breast milk, the mother can try a milk-free diet.Symptom resolution during maternal milk elimination supports CMA diagnosis.Nutritional needs—especially calcium, vitamin D, and iodine—must be maintained during maternal milk exclusion.If the infant tolerates breast milk despite a CMA diagnosis, the mother does not need to remove milk from her diet.You may also be interested in learning about weaning in infants with CMA.IMPORTANT NOTICE:We believe that breastfeeding is the ideal nutritional start for babies and we fully support the World Health Organisation’s recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life followed by the introduction of adequate nutritious complementary foods along with continued breastfeeding up to two years of age.We also recognise that breastfeeding may not be an option due to certain medical conditions. Parents should only feed infant formula for special medical purposes under supervision of a healthcare professional after full consideration of all feeding options, including breastfeeding. Continued use has to be assessed by the healthcare professional in relation to the baby's progress bearing in mind any social and financial implications for the family. Infant formula should always be prepared, used and stored as instructed on the label in order to avoid risks to a baby’s health.

The Appropriate Management of Cow’s Milk Allergy
Cows' Milk Allergy
Cows' Milk Allergy

VIDEOS

Diagnosing and Managing Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy in Infants

Information for Healthcare Professional Use OnlyIn this webinar Paediatric Dietitian, Sophie Rawlings, presents best practices for diagnosing and managing cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA) in infants, with a focus on practical, evidence-based approaches in community settings.Highlights of the webinar include:Overview of IgE and non-IgE mediated food allergies and typical symptoms.Discussion of risk factors, including family history and environmental influences.Importance of allergy-focused history and elimination diets in diagnosis.Use of tools like BSACI and Milk Allergy in Primary Care i(MAP) guidelines to support accurate CMPA identification.Management strategies including breastfeeding advice and use of extensively hydrolysed or amino acid formulas where appropriate.Guidance on when to refer to secondary care or allergy centres.An explanation of Birmingham’s CMPA care pathway and dietetic triage process.Watch the full webinar to learn more about the appropriate management of cow’s milk allergy.IMPORTANT NOTICE:We believe that breastfeeding is the ideal nutritional start for babies and we fully support the World Health Organisation’s recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life followed by the introduction of adequate nutritious complementary foods along with continued breastfeeding up to two years of age.We also recognise that breastfeeding may not be an option due to certain medical conditions. Parents should only feed infant formula for special medical purposes under supervision of a healthcare professional after full consideration of all feeding options, including breastfeeding. Continued use has to be assessed by the healthcare professional in relation to the baby's progress bearing in mind any social and financial implications for the family. Infant formula should always be prepared, used and stored as instructed on the label in order to avoid risks to a baby’s health.Download Certificate

Comiss Tutorial Video Banner
Cows' Milk Allergy
Cows' Milk Allergy

VIDEOS

Nestlé CMA Event: Tackling Infant Allergy to Cow’s Milk with Innovation and Insight

Information for Healthcare Professional Use OnlyThis short video introduces the Cows’ Milk Related Symptom Score (CoMiSS) tool developed by experts, supported by Nestlé Health Science.The CoMiSS tool enables primary healthcare professionals to more efficiently interpret symptoms and consider earlier intervention in relation to cow’s milk related symptoms. CoMiSS will significantly aid in raising awareness of Cows’ Milk Allergy (CMA) to help support the diagnosis of this common infant allergy.The CoMiSS® scoring form is not intended to be used as diagnostic tool and should not replace an oral food challenge (OFC). Diagnosis of CMA can only be confirmed by a 2 to 4 week elimination diet followed by an OFC.IMPORTANT NOTICE:We believe that breastfeeding is the ideal nutritional start for babies and we fully support the World Health Organisation’s recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life followed by the introduction of adequate nutritious complementary foods along with continued breastfeeding up to two years of age.We also recognise that breastfeeding may not be an option due to certain medical conditions. Parents should only feed infant formula for special medical purposes under supervision of a healthcare professional after full consideration of all feeding options, including breastfeeding. Continued use has to be assessed by the healthcare professional in relation to the baby's progress bearing in mind any social and financial implications for the family. Infant formula should always be prepared, used and stored as instructed on the label in order to avoid risks to a baby’s health.

Can you use a soya formula for the dietary management of cows’ milk allergy?
Cows' Milk Allergy
Cows' Milk Allergy

VIDEOS

Soya Formula in Infant Feeding: Clinical Considerations for Use Under Six Months

Information for Healthcare Professional Use OnlyIn this short video with Kristian Braven, Specialist Paediatric allergy and gastroenterology dietitian, discusses the caution against using soya formula for infants under six months in cows’ milk allergy.Highlights include:Current guidelines advise against soya formula for children under six months.Concerns arise from soy’s phytoestrogens content, potentially affecting fertility in later life.Research on this topic remains inconclusive.Soya formula may be acceptable if other milks are intolerable.Soya formula can be considered for specific conditions like galactosemiaIMPORTANT NOTICE:We believe that breastfeeding is the ideal nutritional start for babies and we fully support the World Health Organisation’s recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life followed by the introduction of adequate nutritious complementary foods along with continued breastfeeding up to two years of age.We also recognise that breastfeeding may not be an option due to certain medical conditions. Parents should only feed infant formula for special medical purposes under supervision of a healthcare professional after full consideration of all feeding options, including breastfeeding. Continued use has to be assessed by the healthcare professional in relation to the baby's progress bearing in mind any social and financial implications for the family. Infant formula should always be prepared, used and stored as instructed on the label in order to avoid risks to a baby’s health.

GA2LEN Webinar
Cows' Milk Allergy
Cows' Milk Allergy

VIDEOS

The GA²LEN 2022 Guidelines, Hypoallergenic Formula and Individualised Care in Food Allergy Management

Information for Healthcare Professional Use OnlyThis webinar presented by specialist allergy dietitian, Kate Grimshaw, discusses the GA²LEN (Global Allergy and Asthma European Network) 2022 guidelines on managing food allergies, aiming to help healthcare professionals effectively support patients with food allergies.Highlights of the webinar include:Purpose and Development: The GA²LEN guidelines were created by a multidisciplinary team of allergy experts to unify research on food allergies and improve clinical practice through a structured methodological approach.Key Clinical Questions: The guidelines address 5 key areas including dietary interventions, educational strategies, and identifying individuals at risk of severe allergic reactions.Dietary Recommendations: The guidelines suggest avoiding offending foods for allergic individuals. The guidelines also suggest that breastfeeding mothers of infants with food allergies do not typically need to avoid allergens themselves. This is based on the lack of clinical studies supporting the effectiveness of exclusion in breastfeeding mothers. The guidelines suggest that if there is a need for a breast milk alternative, they suggest a hypoallergenic extensively hydrolysed cow's milk formula or an amino acid formula.Individualised Advice: Emphasising tailored dietary management to accommodate individual patient needs, including various dietary preferences like vegetarianism.Education and Training: There is a call for improved education and support for families managing food allergies to bridge knowledge gaps and encourage informed decision-making.Watch the full webinar to learn more about the latest guidelines for managing food allergies.We also have a number of webinars on cow’s milk allergy including diagnosis and symptoms.IMPORTANT NOTICE:We believe that breastfeeding is the ideal nutritional start for babies and we fully support the World Health Organisation’s recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life followed by the introduction of adequate nutritious complementary foods along with continued breastfeeding up to two years of age.We also recognise that breastfeeding may not be an option due to certain medical conditions. Parents should only feed infant formula for special medical purposes under supervision of a healthcare professional after full consideration of all feeding options, including breastfeeding. Continued use has to be assessed by the healthcare professional in relation to the baby's progress bearing in mind any social and financial implications for the family. Infant formula should always be prepared, used and stored as instructed on the label in order to avoid risks to a baby’s health.Download Certificate