(GERD)

This is an excessive involuntary passge of gastric contents into the esophagus causing symptoms such as growth faltering, esophagitis, feeding problems etc. Sometimes a secondary factor gives rise to Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, for example food allergy.

42% of infants with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease have been shown to also have cow’s milk allergy, versus a prevalence for CMA in the general population of around 3%.

Eosinophilic Esophagitis

Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EE) is a type of allergic eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease which has become particularly common in children over the last 10 years. Often misdiagnosed as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms include feeding disorders, epigastric pain, difficulty swallowing and regurgitation/vomiting. High numbers of eosinophils (visible on biopsy of the oesophageal mucosa) enable a diagnosis of Eosinophilic Esophagitis.

Eosinophilic Esophagitis is thought to be caused by allergies to foods (including cow milk protein). The disease can be effectively treated using an amino acid-based formula (AAF) but not with extensively hydrolysed formulas since children are peculiarly sensitive to food antigens.

Other common diseases are:

• Allergic Colitis / Proctisis / Proctolisis, typically occuring in the first few months of life, with blood-streaked stools in otherwise healthy-looking infants.
• Enterocolitis /Enteropathy, characterized by protracted diarrhea and vomiting with resulting malabsorption and failure to thrive.
• Persistent distress and crying
• Diarrhoea