Tolerance of a soy formula by infants and children.

For a minimum of one month (mean, 54 days), 287 infants and children less than 8 years of age were fed an isolated soy-protein formula. Prior to entry into the study, a cow's milk formula was being fed to 71%, a soy formula to 9%, and cow's milk or other formulas to 20%. Intolerance to cow's milk was reported in 35% of the patients, symptoms indicative of cow's milk intolerance in 23%, diarrhea or gastroenteritis in 18%, a family history of allergy in 13%, and insufficient weight gain, intolerance to other formulas, or constipation in 11%. The patients showed normal increases in weight and length during the study. A significant decrease in the following symptoms were reported in the patients from before to after treatment: abdominal cramps, bloating or gas, colic, diarrhea, fussiness, rashes or eczema, spitting up, waking up crying at night, wheezing, and vomiting. It is concluded that, while receiving soy formula, infants and children continued to thrive normally and that the formula was well tolerated. After receiving soy formula, the frequency of undesirable feeding-related symptoms was reduced in the majority of infants and children.