Seattle, WA—Although parents often focus on peanuts as the food allergy they need to worry about most, cow’s milk is the most common food allergy in children under the age of five, according to new research presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) annual scientific meeting here.

Over 2 percent of all US children under the age of five have a milk allergy, and 53 percent of food-allergic infants under age one have a cow’s milk allergy, the research found.

“Children in the US spend their early years drinking milk, so it’s important to know that many of them, at least in the first few years, may be allergic,” said Christopher Warren, the study’s lead author.

“Our findings suggest that while milk allergy is relatively common during infancy, many children are likely to outgrow their milk allergies,” Warren continued. “We observed that while an estimated 53 percent of food-allergic infants under age one have a milk allergy, the number drops to 41 percent of 1-2-year-olds, 34 percent of 3-5-year-olds and 15 percent of 11-17-year olds.”

The study surveyed more than 53,000 parents in households with children across the US. The survey was done from October 2015 to September 2016.

“We know confusion exists over what a real milk allergy looks like,” said Ruchi Gupta, MD, ACAAI member and study author. “A child may have a milk intolerance that his parents mistake for a milk allergy.

“It’s important that any child suspected of having a milk allergy have the allergy confirmed with an allergist,” Gupta added. “ Only 26 percent of milk-allergic children in the US have a current epinephrine auto-injector prescription, the lowest reported rate among the top nine food allergies, the study found.

The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology is a professional medical organization of more than 6,000 allergistsimmunologists and allied health professionals.

For more information about the ACAAI, visit www.allergyandasthmarelief.org.