Allergy and Clinical Immunology

Background & Objectives: This study elaborates the understanding of cow’s milk protein allergy in infant, focusing on prevention as a primary target.

Methods: The unique advantages of breast feeding and its role in preventing atopy cannot be overlooked. The role of infant formulas proteins in inducing protein allergy and the alternative use of protein in prevention and treatment of protein allergy can be discussed. The issue of allergenicity and induction of tolerance and their paramount role in high-risk infants is a hot area of clinical research. Definition and prediction of high-risk infants in anticipating mothers is of extreme help to the health care provider. Once allergy develops active intervention is required in the breast fed infant, breast feeding should be continued

with maternal diet restriction avoiding dairy containing products till the age of one year or further. In such cases, the lactating mothers should be supplemented with calcium and vitamin D. In the formula fed infant, they should be fed an extensively hydrolyzed formulas or amino acid formula till the age of one year or more. Nutritional adequacy of hydrolyzed infant formula and their shortcomings, elaboration about practical points and pitfalls in formula prescription will be covered in the talk.

Results & Conclusion: Allergic manifestations are variable, although genetics plays a major role; environmental factors are very important and may be amenable to intervention.