Infants and young children need calcium for developing strong bones and teeth. They can usually get enough calcium from milk and other dairy products, but children with a milk allergy will experience allergic reactions after consuming milk products. Nondairy foods and drinks will help your 1-year old child get his daily calcium needs without exposing him to allergy-causing substances.
Benefits of Calcium
The National Institutes of Health recommends 700 mg of calcium per day for children ages 1 to 3 years old. Not only does calcium help build strong bones and teeth, it also helps move muscles and nerves, releases hormones and enzymes and keeps blood flowing properly. Calcium is so essential to normal functions that the body will take this nutrient away from bones if the blood levels of calcium are low.
Milk Allergy
About 2.5 percent of children develop a milk allergy around age 1, notes the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. They may experience symptoms such as hives, asthma, itchiness, vomiting and swollen mouth, tongue or throat within minutes to hours after consuming milk. These children should avoid any food containing cow’s milk protein, found in milk, infant formula, yogurt, ice cream, cheese, margarine and all processed foods with whey, casein or butter ingredients. They may also be allergic to milk from goat or sheep.
Nondairy Sources of Calcium
Although milk allergy presents dietary challenges for children, many foods are fortified with nutrients to help them get the calcium they need. For instance, a 6-ounce serving of calcium-fortified orange juice provides 378 milligrams of calcium, and 1 cup of soy milk can have as much as 200 to 300 milligrams of calcium. An 8-ounce serving of rice drink supplies 283 milligrams of calcium, and 1 cup of almond milk can supply around 300 milligrams of calcium.
Considerations
Some children with milk allergies may also be allergic to soy, oat or almond, so consult your doctor if your child experiences allergic reactions after drinking any of these nondairy products. One-year old children can eat solid foods, so he can also get calcium from fortified cereals, oatmeal, bread, tofu, soy yogurt, baked beans, tortilla and green vegetables.Also consider that juice may be high in calcium, but it is not a good source of other nutrients and may contain high amounts of added sugar.
