Counselling the WHO

The Tel Aviv University study provides invaluable information for lactation specialists, and possibly for the World Health Organization, which currently recommends that a woman switch from breast to bottle at the three-to-five month period. It is exactly this age period that Prof. Katz found to be the worst time to expose a baby to cow's milk. If not exposed earlier, he suggests waiting until the child is one year old to introduce cow's milk into the diet.

The study also provides the most conclusive results on the incidence of allergy to cow's milk protein in babies and children. In a given population, the rates of allergy are still quite high • 0.5% in Prof. Katz's estimation • but much lower than the two-to-four percent documented in other literature.

More research is needed on how early feeding of cow's milk could protect a child into their teen and adult years from the common cow's milk allergy. Meanwhile, Prof. Katz suggests a feed of high-quality formula every night after birth • giving Dad an opportunity to enjoy some quality time with baby as well, he points out.

Source: American Friends of Tel Aviv University