Photo: Getty Tweens who have a milk allergy remain shorter in height and lighter in weight when compared to those with a peanut or tree nut allergy, a new study finds.
Researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore tracked 191 patients, 111 with cow’s milk allergy and 80 with peanut or tree nut allergies, during at least three clinic visits at the ages of 2 to 4, 5 to 8 and 9 to 12. By the time they were pre-teens, the children with milk allergy had lower weight and height than those with the other two allergies. There was no difference in body mass index.
“This is important because early adolescence is a time of most rapid growth and children who are more nutritionally compromised at this age may have persistently lower height into adulthood,” says Dr. Corinne Keet, co-author and associate professor of pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Dr. Karen Robbins, a pediatric allergist at Children’s National Health System and the study’s lead author, noted that “these growth deficits remained prominent in the 5- to 8-year-old and the 9- to 12-year-old age ranges.” She says “further study is needed, especially as children enter their teens, to gauge whether these growth deficits are transitory or lasting.”
Dr. Corinne Keet presents at AAAAI/WAO meeting. Photo: Karras Photography Keet told Allergic Living that both health-care providers and parents need to be aware that “with milk allergy there are increased risks of nutritional impacts, and to try to seek other high-protein, high-calorie, adequate foods.” She stressed that the nutrients and fat found in cow’s milk can be obtained from eating foods such as nuts and meat.
Keet said parents can become too focused on finding a cow’s milk substitute. “But there’s no need for a white beverage,” she said. “Not all white beverages are nutritionally sound,” and she singled out rice milk and almond milk as “nutritionally worthless.”
This study was presented on March 4, 2018 at the AAAAI/WAO joint congress in Orlando.
For full coverage of the AAAAI/WAO joint congress, see here.
