Diagnosis

The symptoms and indictors of cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA) can be diverse and non-specific. This creates a challenge for parents and healthcare professionals, and often leads to misdiagnosis or delays in diagnosis. To help prevent this and speed up the diagnostic process, a range of guidelines and tools have been developed.

Each tool has been designed with the goal of helping healthcare professionals reach a diagnosis sooner, whilst leading to better outcomes and experiences for children with CMPA and their parents.

hcp
Child smiling at her pediatrician in a medical appointment. Child smiling at her pediatrician in a medical appointment.

Diagnosis

The symptoms and indictors of cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA) can be diverse and non-specific. This creates a challenge for parents and healthcare professionals, and often leads to misdiagnosis or delays in diagnosis. To help prevent this and speed up the diagnostic process, a range of guidelines and tools have been developed.

Each tool has been designed with the goal of helping healthcare professionals reach a diagnosis sooner, whilst leading to better outcomes and experiences for children with CMPA and their parents.

The Steps to
Diagnosis

  • Take an allergy-focused history
  • Perform supportive IgE tests (when appropriate)
  • Prepare the management plan

The IgE test results are interpreted along with the allergy-focused history. The diagnosis should be confirmed through a diagnostic elimination diet followed by food reintroduction/challenge.

Illustration of CMPA causes

01
The Allergy
Focused History

The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Guidelines on food allergy2 suggest that the allergy-focussed history is a fundamental first step in the diagnosis of any food allergy, including CMPA.

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Illustration of CMPA types

02
Supportive IgE Tests

Supportive procedures, such as IgE testing, exist to help diagnose CMPA. However, none of the IgE tests available when used alone confirm the diagnosis. They are used in combination with the allergy-focused history to support HCP to come to a decision on diagnosis.

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Illustration of CMPA versus Lactose intolerance

03
Diagnostic Elimination
Diet and Food
Reintroduction/Challenge

The elimination diet is as intuitive as it sounds – cow’s milk protein (CMP) (all sources) is completely eliminated from the infant’s diet for 2-6 weeks. This includes eliminating CMP (all sources) from the mother’s diet, if they are breastfeeding.

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Illustration of CMPA versus Lactose intolerance

04
The Management Plan

Successfully managing cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA) is always easier when it starts with an early, and accurate, diagnosis. Following the diagnosis, ongoing structured support is required for infants and young children with CMPA.

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LEARN FROM THE EXPERTS

LEARN FROM THE
EXPERTS

Leading experts in pediatric food allergy
discuss diagnosis of CMPA in our online
video series.

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Alfamino and Althéra HMO hypoallergenic dairy-free formulas for children.

GET PEDIATRIC
DIAGNOSTIC SET

As a medical specialist, you can obtain
samples of hypoallergenic speciality formula,
for the diagnostic elimination diet.