By the Canadian Press:

Toronto: An international study, led by Canadian researchers, is setting out to discover whether it is possible to keep some children from developing juvenile diabetes by shielding them from cow's milk in the first six months of their lives.

For more than a decade, researchers around the globe have been amassing evidence that points to cow's milk as a key trigger in the development of juvenile diabetes in children who are genetically prone to the disease.

The idea that a simple dietary modification in early infancy might prevent a disease from taking root is an exciting one, suggested federal Health Minister Anne McLellan.

She attended the launch of the 10 year study Monday at the Hospital for Sick Children.

"What a huge step forward if we can prevent the disease from happening in the first place ," McLellan said. "That is the promise of the TRIGR trial." The acronym stands for Trial to Reduce Insulin - Dependant Diabetes in the Genetically at Risk.

Researchers in centres across Canada, the United States, Europe, and Australia will take part.

I never gave my daughter cow's milk (partially because her pediatrician is a vegan) mainly because I am lactose intolerant and was afraid that she might be. Our GP had suggested lactose tablets but my response was aren't food allergies a natural defense system telling me that I shouldn't drink it? Hannah weaned herself after 10 months of nursing and went straight to soy milk which she loves. Cow's milk is meant to nourish baby COWS not baby HUMANS....
My daughter has always been in the 100% percentile for height and head size and in the 70's for weight which is fine because 70% of all children are overweight. She has had no developmental issues or problems from not drinking cow's milk. The only problem that this has caused is the constant nagging from both sets of grandparents who are convinced she is malnourished because she doesn't drink MILK...

Nancy