Allergic colitis is inflammation of the large intestine that occurs in the course of an allergic reaction. It mainly affects infants and breastfed children, is self-limiting and resolves with age. Food allergens, especially cow's milk proteins, are the triggering factors.

Allergic colitis(incorrectly referred to ascow's milk enteritis ) is one of the most common pathologies in in the large intestine.

Allergic colitis is inflammation caused by popular allergens, such as cow's milk protein. This problem mainly affects infants, usually the first symptoms of the disorder appear around 2 months after birth.

Allergic colitis: symptoms

Parents report to the doctor concerned about the appearance of the stool. It has a loose consistency and you can find traces of mucus and sometimes even streaks of blood in it.

After some time, the amount of stools produced per day increases significantly, and the natural consistency of diarrhea

is to lose weight. All this inevitably leads to stunted growth and disrupts the proper development of the child.

Rarely, allergic colitis is accompanied by anemia or fever.

Allergic colitis - causes

Allergic colitis is not only the result of consuming cow's milk protein. Similar problems apply to children who are breastfed or fed with soy supplements.

Although there is still a misconception that cow's milk is the most common allergic factor, statistics show that it is breast milk that causes the most digestive disorders.

Proponents of the theory that all food allergies result from the consumption of cow's milk argue that the higher incidence of allergic colitis in breastfeeding women is simply related to the increased consumption of cow's milk by the mothers.

The etiology and pathomechanism of this disorder is still unknown, factors such as the immaturity of the immune system and the gastrointestinal tract or too high permeability of the mucosa are taken into account.

Allergic colitis - diagnosis

A thorough interview with the child's parents is of key importance in the diagnosis of the colon. Moreover, the physical examination and the results of laboratory tests are important.

The doctor should always order:

  • stool test
  • assess the serum albumin concentration
  • morphology, for anemia

If the severity of symptoms is high, and the child's condition is defined as severe, additional tests are necessary: ​​

  • X-ray of the abdominal cavity
  • gastrointestinal endoscopy with specimen collection for microscopic evaluation

Usually, in diseases with an allergic background, the presence of infiltrates with the predominance of eosinophilic cells is found. The differential diagnosis should include:

  • colon infection
  • Hirschprung's disease
  • inflammatory bowel disease
  • pseudomembranous colitis

as well as emergencies requiring rapid surgical intervention, such as intussusception or intestinal torsion.

Allergic colitis treatment

The therapeutic management of allergic colitis involves the elimination of cow's milk from the diet. Alternatively, the menu should be enriched with casein hydrolysates or soy preparations.

Symptoms of the disease tend to disappear usually up to about 2 weeks after the modification of the menu.

The timing of nutritional therapy should be an individual matter, especially since there are no exact standards that would define it.

Worth knowing
  • Food allergy

Food allergy is a series of symptoms resulting from the activation of immune reactions as a result of eating certain foods. Clinical manifestation includes skin and general lesions. The latter lead to a condition known as anaphylaxis, which is a threat to he alth and life. Food allergy affects up to 3-5% of children and up to 4% of the adult population. It should be emphasized that most disorders related to the improper functioning of the immune system do not occur as an isolated disease, but usually accompany other diseases from the so-called autoaggression, for example with atopic dermatitis.

  • Cow's milk allergy

The most common factor causing a local or systemic allergic reaction is cow's milk protein. In generalized hypersensitivity, two mechanisms are triggered: first type or delayed reaction. Type I hypersensitivity is any body reaction that occurs inwithin 1 hour of eating food. The clinical picture includes: angioedema, rash resembling urticaria, wheezing over the lung fields, restlessness, diarrhea and vomiting. The delayed form appears at least 1 hour after food consumption. Usually, in this case, general symptoms predominate, and rarely of the gastrointestinal tract.

  • Allergy to mother's milk. Can a breastfed baby have a food allergy?
  • Protein defect

Food allergies in children

Food allergies in children, according to research, bother every tenth of them. The youngest often inherit them from their parents, but the risk of a food allergy in a child can also be minimized. What are the symptoms of a food allergy in a child? What is the difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance? Listen to our expert - dietitian Agnieszka Piskała.

Category:

Allergies