Milk Allergy

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Milk Allergy Diet

KidsHealth.org

 

Health: Children's Health News

 

March 11, 2005 02:55:02 AM PST

 

People who aren't allergic to milk may think it's easy

to control a milk allergy. You just say " no " to milk,

ice cream, and cheese, right? But so many foods are

made with milk and milk products that parents of kids

with a milk allergy have to pay attention to just

about everything their children eat.

 

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and

Immunology estimates that up to 2 million, or 8%, of

children in the United States are affected by food

allergies, and that eight foods account for 90% of

food allergy reactions: milk, eggs, peanuts, wheat,

soy, fish, shellfish, and tree nuts.

 

Help your milk-allergic child avert adverse reactions

by knowing which foods and ingredients to avoid.

 

What Is a Milk Allergy?

Milk allergy usually first occurs when infants are

given cow's milk-based formula or are exposed to cow's

milk in the mother's diet through her breast milk.

Between 2% and 3% of babies and toddlers are affected

by milk allergy.

 

Milk contains proteins, carbohydrates (such as

sugars), fats, minerals, and vitamins. Casein is the

principal protein in cow's milk, accounting for about

80% of the total milk proteins. Casein is what makes

up the curd that forms when milk is left to sour. The

remaining 20% of cow's milk proteins are contained in

the whey, the watery part that's left after the curd

is removed.

 

The proteins in milk are what cause allergic reactions

in some people. A person may be allergic to proteins

in either the casein or the whey parts of milk and

sometimes even to both.

 

There are two major types of milk allergy reactions:

rapid onset and slower onset. The rapid type of

reaction comes on suddenly (within seconds to hours

after ingesting the milk or milk product) with

symptoms that can include wheezing, vomiting, hives,

angioedema (fluid collection in body tissues that

causes swelling), and anaphylaxis (a sudden and severe

whole body reaction).

 

The slower-onset reaction is the more common type.

Symptoms develop over a period of hours to days after

ingesting the milk and may include loose stools

(possibly containing blood), vomiting, fussiness or

irritability, and failure to gain weight and grow

normally. This type of reaction is more difficult to

diagnose because the same symptoms may occur with

conditions other than allergy. Most children will

outgrow milk allergy by 2 to 3 years of age.

 

People often confuse a milk allergy with lactose

intolerance, but they are not the same thing. What are

some differences?

 

* Milk allergy is a reaction of the immune system

to proteins in milk and milk products; lactose

intolerance is caused by an inability of the body to

break down the milk sugar lactose.

* The signs and symptoms of a milk allergy usually

appear in early infancy; lactose intolerance is very

rare in the first years of life.

* Milk allergy can affect the digestive system as

well as other systems in the body, such as skin and

airways; lactose intolerance affects digestion only,

causing bloating, gas, or loose bowel movements after

drinking milk or eating dairy products.

* In rare cases, milk allergy can be

life-threatening; lactose intolerance is not

life-threatening, and people with lactose intolerance

can often consume small amounts of milk without

experiencing any symptoms.

 

Signs and Symptoms

When kids who are allergic to milk drink it or eat

something made with milk or milk products, they could

have any of the following symptoms. (Of course, these

symptoms may also occur with many other illnesses, so

it's always best to check with your child's doctor to

confirm or rule out milk allergy as a possible cause.)

 

* excessive fussiness or irritability

* crampy abdominal pain, vomiting, or diarrhea

* spots or streaks of blood or mucus in stools

* skin rash

* recurrent wheezing, cough, stuffy or runny nose,

colds, or sinusitis

* failure to thrive (poor weight gain and growth)

 

Some children with the rapid-onset type of reaction

may experience a sudden, potentially severe allergic

reaction called anaphylaxis that can involve various

systems in the body (such as the skin, respiratory

tract, gastrointestinal tract, and cardiovascular

system). Anaphylaxis can cause a person's blood

pressure to drop, airways to narrow, and tongue to

swell, resulting in serious breathing difficulty, loss

of consciousness and, in some cases, even death.

Anaphylaxis is much more common in peanut, nut, and

shellfish allergies than in milk allergy.

 

In case of an emergency, children with a milk allergy

should have access to a shot of epinephrine, which is

only available with a doctor's prescription. It comes

in an easy-to-carry, single-shot container that looks

like a pen (also called an EpiPen). If a milk-allergic

person accidentally consumes milk or milk products and

has an anaphylactic reaction, a shot of epinephrine

can be given to help counteract it. Your child's

doctor can give you instructions on how to use and

store the epinephrine injection pen; it's essential

that you familiarize yourself with the procedure.

 

If your child is mature enough to carry his or her own

epinephrine shot (allergists say this is usually

around age 12 or 13), make sure he or she keeps the

pen readily available at all times (check with your

child's school about rules governing the carrying of

medicines). If your child is younger than 12, talk to

the school nurse and your child's teacher about

keeping one on hand in case of an emergency. Also make

sure that epinephrine pens are available at your home,

as well as at the homes of friends and family members.

 

Your child's doctor may encourage your child to wear a

medical alert bracelet. It's also a good idea to carry

an over-the-counter antihistamine, which can help

alleviate allergy symptoms in some people. But

antihistamines should be used in addition to the

EpiPen and not as a replacement for the shot.

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