Cow milk allergy (CMA) has considerable negative effects on the family unit, as exposed by findings from an international survey of 1,000 parents. In addition to coping with the disturbing physical effects of cow milk allergy on the child (including vomiting, diarrhoea, failure to thrive and eczema) 70 per cent of parents said that it makes them feel guilty and distressed and 82 per cent said that it has caused them to lose sleep.

Cow milk is the most common cause of food allergy in infants and children, affecting approximately 2-3 per cent of infants internationally and over 1.800 babies in Ireland . It can affect infants from birth. Many 01 the symptoms are general and consequently, in some cases, it can take weeks or months for a diagnosis to be made. Cow milk is one of the European Union's 'big eight' allergy-inducing foods - alongside gluten, eggs, fish, peanuts, soya, treenuts and shellfish.

The major symptoms of cow milk allergy (CMA) include skin rash, wheezing, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, faltering growth and distress.

More serious than lactose intolerance, a true cow milk allergy could result in one of the following problems:

• Gastrointestinal (vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, bloating) - affecting 50-60% of people with cow milk allergy
• Skin (rashes, including eczema and atopic dermatitis) - affecting 50-70% of people with cow milk allergy
• Respiratory (wheeze, cough, runny nose) - affection 20-30% of people with cow milk allergy.

According to Or. Martin Brueton, a Paediatric Gastroenterologist at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London, having a child with of people with cow milk allergy can be very stressful for parents. The average child with cow milk allergy suffers an array of symptoms, from skin rashes to gastric problems, cries a lot and is incapable of properly putting on weight.

Parents feel helpless, as the instinct is to feed their infant even more. Milk, in most cases, is the infant's sole food source and compounds rather than solves the problem.

Until the child is properly diagnosed and put onto a suitable milk substitute, the impact on the parents and the family as a whole is considerable. So, Professor Jonathan O'B. Hourihane, Head of Paediatrics and Child Health at Cork University Hospital states that children who are suspected of having cow milk allergy should be referred to a paediatrician and that international best practice is to use extensively hydrolysed or amino acid formulae.