Cows' milk - and the proteins it contains - is often one of the first complementary foods to be introduced into the infant's diet. Cows' milk is also commonly consumed throughout childhood as part of a balanced diet. Cows' milk allergy (CMA) is the most common food allergy in infants and young children - up to 1 in 20 of all children may suffer.

Diagnosing CMA can mean a bit more than a single test at the doctor's.Your child's symptoms, medical history and overall assessment will be taken into account along with any test results when deciding if your child has a food allergy.

It's not always easy to spot the symptoms of food allergies - even for doctors. That's because the signs of food allergy can be mistaken for other common conditions seen in babies and infants.