If Your Baby has Food Allergies

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You will want to concentrate on providing a varied and balanced diet that excludes the problem food(s).

To start with, it may be helpful to talk with a dietitian who can point out nutritious alternatives to the foods your child must avoid. She will recommend you try to choose foods from the same food group on the pyramid from which the problem food comes.

For example, if your child is allergic to corn, there are many other vegetables from which to choose.

If your child is allergic to wheat, there are other grains that can be substituted (e.g. rice, barley, oats, etc).

What if your baby is allergic to cow’s milk?

1. Babies who are allergic to cow’s milk should be given either breast milk or milk-free iron fortified infant formula for the first year of life.
2. Toddlers should be offered a soy milk substitute that is calcium-fortified (be sure to read the label carefully as some soy milk is fortified with calcium caseinate which comes from milk).
3. Children frequently outgrow their milk allergies. Your doctor may have your child try milk again when he is a little older.

What if your baby is allergic to soy and cow’s milk? If the toddler has a soy allergy in addition to a milk allergy you can provide adequate nutrition by offering a combination of the following:

1. An extra source of protein and riboflavin from meat, egg or cooked dried beans
2. A source of calcium from calcium-fortified juice or a liquid calcium supplement.
3. A source of Vitamin D. Try to include a little sunlight a few times a week to replace the Vitamin D that he is missing by not drinking his milk (there is very little Vitamin D in any other foods that he would typically eat). His physician may want to prescribe a multivitamin and mineral supplement as an insurance policy.
4. An adequate amount of fat should be included in the toddler’s diet for proper growth.

Again, it is a good idea to consult a dietitian to make sure your child is getting all the nutrients he needs.

Susan Mills-Gray, Mills-GrayS@missouri.edu
Regional Specialist, Nutrition and Health Education
Cass County, Missouri
University of Missouri Extension