Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of cow's milk protein allergy in infants.

Our aim was to develop guidance for general paediatricians and
primary care physicians in diagnosing and managing cow’s milk
protein allergy in infants. The guidelines were developed by
discussion based on existing national recommendations and
standards, clinical experience and, whenever possible, evidence
from the literature. Separate algorithms cover breast-fed and
formula-fed infants. The recommendations emphasise the importance
of comprehensive history taking and careful physical examination.
Patients with severe symptoms need to be referred to a specialist.
Elimination of cow’s milk protein from the infant’s or mother’s
diet and challenges are the gold standard for diagnosis. This
guidance is intended as a basis for local discussion,
implementation and prospective evaluation. The algorithms should be
regularly assessed using clinical audit standards. Once validated,
the diagnostic framework could provide a standardised approach in
epidemiological and therapeutic studies.