Babies With Food Allergies

An upset tummy, a rash, or a lack of weight gain may signal that your baby has a food intolerance or even an allergy.

By Kaitlin Bell

Shannon Greer

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Showing Symptoms

Almost from the time Dawn Cirafesi's son, Ethan, was born, he was covered by an itchy red rash. He scratched his skin so much that it bled. When his mom fed him formula for the first time at 3 months, Ethan began vomiting violently and had difficulty breathing. It turned out that the baby was allergic to cow's milk -- which can show up in small amounts in breast milk and is the main ingredient in most infant formula. After Ethan's doctor put him on a special hypoallergenic formula, his symptoms gradually started to disappear. Though Ethan's case was severe, it's not uncommon for babies to react badly to something they ate (or you ate, if you're nursing). In fact, gastrointestinal issues are among the top concerns that new parents bring up, says pediatrician Gwenn Schurgin O'Keeffe, M.D., founder and editor-in-chief of pediatricsnow.com.

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