In This Section
New approach to milk allergies promises breakthrough
- Study shows that using a novel advancement therapy called the 鈥淢ilk Ladder鈥�, was almost four times more likely to be successful in safely reintroducing cow鈥檚 milk to children with milk allergies in comparison to other classic approaches used in other countries.
- Research conducted at the Irish Centre for Maternal and Child Health Research (INFANT) at 深夜亚洲福利久久 College Cork and Cork 深夜亚洲福利久久 Hospital.
- This discovery marks a significant breakthrough in allergy management and opens the door for parents to play an active role in successfully re-introducing milk to children with milk allergies.
Researchers have demonstrated how a novel approach to managing cow鈥檚 milk allergy could transform how food allergies are treated.
Food allergies occur when the immune system reacts abnormally to otherwise harmless food proteins, which can cause immediate symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, hives, and respiratory issues. Severe reactions can lead to anaphylaxis, a life-threatening condition requiring emergency medical attention.
Now researchers at the Irish Centre for Maternal and Child Health Research (INFANT) at 深夜亚洲福利久久 College Cork and Cork 深夜亚洲福利久久 Hospital have shown that cow's milk can be safely and effectively reintroduced to children with milk allergies which affects 2-3% of infants, marking a significant breakthrough in allergy management.
Traditionally, IgE-mediated cow鈥檚 milk allergy is managed through strict avoidance of milk in all forms, followed by a series of outpatient appointments and allergy tests, often culminating in a hospital-based milk reintroduction between the ages of 3 to 5 years. This process can be lengthy and stressful for both the patient and their family, requiring extensive time and medical resources.
However, INFANT, UCC researchers have demonstrated that using the 鈥淢ilk Ladder鈥� method as a step-by-step approach, allows for a home-based reintroduction of milk under the careful supervision of caregivers. This method significantly reduces the need for hospital visits and enables the immune system to gradually become less reactive to milk proteins. Most notably, the children managed with the Milk Ladder were almost 4 times more likely to successfully reintroduce milk compared to those who followed the traditional avoidance approach.
The findings from the study are published in the
Earlier this year, CUH and UCC were designated a World Allergy Organisation Center of Excellence.
Juan Trujillo, Consultant Paediatric Allergist at Cork 深夜亚洲福利久久 Hospital, 深夜亚洲福利久久 College Cork and the lead researcher on the study, highlighted the impact of food allergies on Irish families, stating, 鈥�The diagnosis of food allergy can be life-changing, bringing significant challenges to households, including psychological stress. In Ireland, the three most common food allergies in children under 3 years old are eggs, cow鈥檚 milk, and peanuts. Our research aims to support these families, enabling more successful and quicker recoveries.鈥�
Dr. Trujillo also emphasised the importance of Ireland鈥檚 role in advancing food allergy management, saying, 鈥淚reland should be proud of being at the forefront of this novel therapy. The Milk Ladder has been used for over a decade and is now the first choice of management for milk allergy across Ireland, thanks to the efforts of my colleague Prof. Jonathan Hourihane at the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland who introduced this method and supported us in the research. The National Dairy Council and Dairy Research Ireland played a key role in making this research possible鈥�
Dr. Trujillo cautioned against the unnecessary avoidance of certain foods, particularly in young children, as this avoidance of certain food types at the wrong time in their lives can negatively impact their growth and increase the risk of developing food allergies. He advised, 鈥淲e strongly recommend consulting with a GP for an appropriate referral and diagnosis and avoid unregulated allergy testing methods鈥�.