Fresh goat's milk for infants: myths and realities--a review.
Many infants are exclusively fed unmodified goat's milk as a result of cultural beliefs as well as exposure to false online information. Anecdotal reports have described a host of morbidities associated with that practice, including severe electrolyte abnormalities, metabolic acidosis, megaloblastic anemia, allergic reactions including life-threatening anaphylactic shock, hemolytic uremic syndrome, and infections. We describe here an infant who was fed raw goat's milk and sustained intracranial infarctions in the setting of severe azotemia and hypernatremia, and we provide a comprehensive review of the consequences associated with this dangerous practice.
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Critical Care, PO Box 19676, Springfield, IL 62794-9676, USA. sbasnet@siumed.edu
Sangita
S
Basnet
Michael
M
Schneider
Avihu
A
Gazit
Gurpreet
G
Mander
Allan
A
Doctor
D000818:Animals; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006041:Goats; D006801:Humans; D006955:Hypernatremia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009229:Mythology; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control