Have you ever heard about cows' milk allergy before now? You must, because CMA is the most common cause of food allergy in children , affecting about 2 to 3 percent of infants worldwide and at least 10,000 only in the UK ( Lancet 2002;360:701-710 ).
Big numbers? Yes, but underestimates: the potential for under diagnosis suggests that the actual number of cases of infant CMA likely exceeds the number of documented cases.

Milk allergy can be serious enough to cause distress not just for an allergic child, but also for their families. An impact on the parents which include loss of sleep, stress, absence from work and lack of attention to other children in the family.

Fortunately, although medical scientists aren't sure why, most children lose their milk allergy by age 2 or 3. But it is not yet possible to predict which child will outgrow a particular allergy or how long the process could take. Some children, for example, may outgrow a milk allergy in 8 to 10 months, while others may take 8 to 10 years.

Most babies with cows' milk allergy develop symptoms within the first few months of life: 50-70% have skin symptoms (eg. eczema); 50-60% have stomach/gut symptoms (eg. vomiting); 20-30% have breathing symptoms (eg. wheezing).

If your baby has symptoms of CMA, as soon as possible, look for a pediatrician or allergist experienced in evaluating and treating cow's milk allergy, because they can closely monitor condition, growth and development of children.