The milk allergy

Description

Milk allergy is an atypical response of the immune system to milk and products containing milk. It is one of the most common food allergies in children. Cow's milk is the most common cause of milk allergy, but milk from sheep, goats, buffalo and other mammals also can cause a reaction.

An allergic reaction usually occurs soon after you or your child consumes milk. The signs and symptoms of milk allergy range from mild to severe and can include wheezing, vomiting, hives and digestive problems. Milk allergy can also cause anaphylaxis — a severe, life-threatening reaction.

Avoid milk and dairy products is the main treatment for milk allergy. Fortunately, the majority of children outgrow milk allergy. Those that do not surpass it may be necessary to continue to avoid dairy products.

Symptoms

Milk allergy symptoms, which vary from person to person, it is produced a couple of minutes to a few hours after you or your child drink milk or eat dairy products.

Immediately the signs and symptoms of milk allergy can include:

  • The hives
  • Wheezing
  • Itching or tingling around your lips or the mouth
  • Swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat
  • Cough or difficulty breathing
  • Vomiting

The signs and symptoms that may take more time to develop include:

  • Loose stools or diarrhea that may contain blood
  • Abdominal cramps
  • Runny nose
  • Watery eyes
  • Colic in babies

The milk allergy or milk intolerance?

A true milk allergy differs from intolerance to milk protein and lactose intolerance. Unlike the milk allergy, intolerance does not involve the immune system. Milk intolerance requires a different treatment of the true milk allergy.

The signs and symptoms of intolerance to milk protein or lactose intolerance include digestive problems such as bloating, gas or diarrhea after consuming milk or products containing milk.

Anaphylaxis

Milk allergy can cause anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction that narrows the airways and can block breathing. The milk is the third most common food after peanuts and tree nuts due to anaphylaxis.

If you or your child has an allergic reaction to the milk, tell your health care provider, no matter how mild the reaction. The tests can help to confirm the allergy to milk, so that you can avoid in the future and, potentially, the worst of the reactions.

Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency and requires treatment with epinephrine (adrenaline) shot (EpiPen, Adrenaclick, and others), and a trip to the emergency room. Signs and symptoms begin shortly after the consumption of milk and may include:

  • The constriction of the airways, including a swelling in the throat that makes breathing difficult
  • Redness of the face
  • Itching
  • Shock, with a marked fall in blood pressure

When to see a doctor

Refer to your supplier or to an allergist if you or your child has a milk allergy symptoms shortly after consuming milk. If possible, check with your provider during the allergic reaction to help make a diagnosis. Seek emergency treatment if you or your child has signs or symptoms of anaphylaxis.

Causes

All true food allergies are caused by a malfunction of the immune system. If you have milk allergy, your immune system identifies certain milk proteins as harmful, triggering the production of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to neutralize the protein (allergen). The next time you come in contact with these proteins, immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies recognize and signal your immune system to release histamine and other chemicals, causing a range of allergy signs and symptoms.

There are two main proteins of cow's milk can cause an allergic reaction:

  • Casein, found in the solid part (curd) of milk will curdle
  • The whey of milk, is found in the liquid part of milk that remains after the milk is curdled

You or your child may be allergic to only one protein of the milk, or both. These proteins may be difficult to avoid because that is also found in some processed foods. And most of the people who react to cow's milk will react to the sheep, goat and buffalo milk.

Food protein-induced syndrome of enterocolitis (FPIES)

A food allergen can also cause what is known as a delayed food allergy. Although any food can be a trigger, milk is one of the most common. The reaction, commonly vomiting and diarrhea, which usually occurs within hours after eating the trigger instead of in a matter of minutes.

Unlike food allergies, food protein-induced syndrome of enterocolitis (FPIES) usually resolves with time. As with milk allergy, prevention of an FPIES reaction involves avoiding milk and dairy products.

Risk factors

Certain factors may increase the risk of developing allergy to milk:

  • Other allergies. Many of the children who are allergic to milk also have other allergies. The milk allergy may develop before other allergies.
  • Atopic dermatitis. Children who have atopic dermatitis — a common, chronic inflammation of the skin are much more likely to develop a food allergy.
  • The history of the family. A person's risk of a food allergy increases if one or both parents have a food allergy or other types of allergy or allergic disease such as hay fever, asthma, hives, or eczema.
  • Age. Milk allergy is most common in children. As they age, their digestive systems mature, and their bodies are less likely to react to the milk.

Complications

Children who are allergic to milk are more prone to developing certain other health problems, including:

  • Nutritional deficiencies. Due to restrictions in the diet and feeding of the challenges, children with milk allergy may have growth retardation, as well as deficiencies of vitamins and minerals.
  • Reduction of the quality of life. Many of the most common, and sometimes unexpected, the foods made from milk, including some salad dressings or even hot dogs. If you or your child is severely allergic, avoiding exposure to the milk can increase the stress or anxiety levels when it comes to making food choices.

Prevention

There is No sure way to prevent a food allergy, but you can prevent reactions, avoiding the food that causes them. If you know that you or your child is allergic to milk, avoid milk and dairy products.

Read food labels carefully. Search for casein, a milk derivative, which can be found in some of the most unexpected of places, like in some canned tuna, chorizo or dairy products. Question ingredients when ordering in restaurants.

Sources of milk

The obvious sources of the allergy-causing proteins in the milk are found in dairy products, including:

  • Whole milk, low-fat milk, skim milk, whey
  • Butter
  • Yogurt
  • Ice cream, ice cream
  • The cheese and all it contains cheese
  • The half-and-half

The milk may be more difficult to identify when it is used as an ingredient in processed foods, including baked goods and processed meats. Hidden sources of milk are:

  • Serum of milk
  • Casein
  • Ingredients written with the prefix "lact" — such as lactose and lactate
  • Sweet like chocolate, nougat and caramel
  • Protein powders
  • Artificial Butter Flavor
  • Artificial cheese flavor
  • Hydrolysates

Even if a food is labeled "no milk" or "no dairy," it may contain allergy-causing proteins of the milk — so you have to read the label carefully. When in doubt, contact the manufacturer to ensure that a product contains no milk ingredients.

When eating out, ask how the food that has been prepared. Makes your flesh has melted the butter in it? Was your seafood dipped in milk before cooking?

If you are at risk of a severe allergic reaction, talk with your health care provider about the completion and use of emergency epinephrine (adrenaline). If you have already had a severe reaction, wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace that lets others know that you have a food allergy.

Milk alternatives for babies

In children who are allergic to milk, breast-feeding and the use of hypoallergenic formula can prevent allergic reactions.

  • Breastfeeding is the best source of nutrition for your baby. Breastfeeding as long as possible, is recommended, especially if your baby is at high risk of developing allergy to milk.
  • Hypoallergenic formulasare produced by the use of enzymes to break down (hydrolyze) the proteins in milk, such as casein or whey. Subsequent processing may include the heat and filtration. Depending on your level of processing, the products are classified as either partially or extensively hydrolyzed. Or you can also call the elemental formulas. Some formulas are hypoallergenic are not milk-based, but instead of containing amino acids. In addition to extensively hydrolyzed products, amino-acid-based formulas are the least likely to cause an allergic reaction.
  • Soy-based formulas are based on soy protein in place of milk. Soy formulas are fortified to be nutritionally complete — but, unfortunately, some children with a milk allergy will also develop an allergy to soy.

Hypoallergenic formulas are produced by the use of enzymes to break down (hydrolyze) the proteins in milk, such as casein or whey. Subsequent processing may include the heat and filtration. Depending on your level of processing, the products are classified as either partially or extensively hydrolyzed. Or you can also call the elemental formulas.

Some formulas are hypoallergenic are not milk-based, but instead of containing amino acids. In addition to extensively hydrolyzed products, amino-acid-based formulas are the least likely to cause an allergic reaction.

If you are breastfeeding your child is allergic to cow's milk proteins in the milk passes through breast milk may cause an allergic reaction. You may need to exclude from your diet all products that contain milk. Talk with your health care provider if you know or suspect that your child has a milk allergy and develops allergy signs and symptoms after breastfeeding.

If you or your child is on a milk-free diet, your health care provider or dietitian can help you plan balanced, nutritious meals. You or your child may need to take supplements to replace the calcium and nutrients in milk, such as vitamin D, and riboflavin.

The milk allergy

Diagnosis

When food causes an allergic reaction, it is not always easy to find out what kind of food is to blame. To assess whether you or your child has a milk allergy, your health care provider may:

  • Detailed questions about the signs and symptoms
  • Performing a physical examination
  • You have to keep a detailed diary of the foods you or your child eats
  • You have to eliminate milk from your diet or your child's diet (elimination diet) — and then have to re-add the food to see if it causes a reaction

He or she may also recommend one or both of the following tests:

  • Skin test. In this test, your skin is pricked and exposed to small amounts of the proteins found in milk. If you are allergic to, the more likely it is to develop a raised bump (hive) at the test location on your skin. The allergy specialists usually are better equipped to perform and interpret the tests of allergy on the skin. Keep in mind that this type of test is not completely accurate for the detection of allergy to milk.
  • Blood test. A blood test can measure your immune system's response to the milk by measuring the amount of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies in your blood. But this test is not completely accurate in the identification of a milk allergy.

If your examination, and the results of the test can not confirm the allergy to milk, your health care provider may administer an oral challenge, in which they are fed different foods that may or may not contain the milk in increasing numbers to see if you react to those that contain milk. It is a good idea to have allergy tests administered by an allergist who has been trained to handle severe reactions.

If your doctor suspects that your symptoms are caused by something that is not a food allergy, you may need other tests to identify or rule out other medical problems.

Treatment

The only way to prevent an allergic reaction is to avoid milk and milk proteins. This can be difficult because milk is a common ingredient in many foods. Also, some people with milk allergy can tolerate milk in some ways, like the milk that is heated in baked goods, or in some processed foods, such as yogurt. Talk with your health care provider about what you should avoid.

If you or your child has a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), you may need an emergency injection of epinephrine (adrenaline) and a trip to the emergency room. If you are at risk of having a serious reaction, you or your child may need to carry injectable epinephrine (EpiPen, Adrenaclick, other) at all times. Have your doctor or pharmacist to demonstrate how the use of this device, so that you're prepared for an emergency.

Coping and support

Have a severe allergy or being the parent of a child with a potentially life-threatening allergy can be stressful. Talk to other people in similar situations that may be useful. In addition to providing support and encouragement, which can also be of great utility coping tips, such as how to deal effectively with school officials to make sure that your child's medical needs are met. Ask your health care provider if there are support groups in your area, or contact the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

Preparing for your appointment

It is likely to start by seeing your family doctor or your child's pediatrician. However, you may be referred to a doctor who specializes in allergic disorders (allergist-immunologist).

Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment and know what to expect.

What you can do

  • Be aware of any pre-appointment restrictions. When you make the appointment, ask if there is something that you need to do beforehand. For example, if you are going to have the allergy test done, your doctor will want you or your child stop taking antihistamines for a certain period of time before the test.
  • Write down any symptoms you or your child has experienced, including those that may seem unrelated to allergy to milk.
  • Make a list of all the medicines, vitamins, and supplements that you or your child is taking.
  • Write questions to ask their provider.

Prepare a list of questions can help you make the most of your time with your provider. For milk allergy, some basic questions to ask include:

  • Do you think this is a milk allergy or lactose intolerance?
  • There are tests to diagnose milk allergy? Do these tests require preparation?
  • It is possible to overcome this type of allergy?
  • There are treatments?
  • It is necessary to avoid milk and dairy products?
  • What foods can contain milk products?
  • It is necessary to stay away from other people who are drinking milk?
  • What should I tell the people in my child's school about this type of allergy?
  • How can the milk allergy best be administered with other conditions?
  • Are there brochures or other printed material that I can take? What sites do you recommend?
  • I need to carry injectable epinephrine at all times?

Don't hesitate to ask any questions you may have.

What to expect from your doctor

Your provider is likely to ask a series of questions, including:

  • When you or your child for the first time to react to the milk?
  • Can you describe the reaction?
  • This happens every time you or your child drinks milk or eats something made with milk?
  • How soon after consuming milk or dairy products do symptoms begin?
  • How severe are the symptoms?
  • Nothing seems to improve symptoms, such as allergy medications or milk of avoidance?
  • What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
  • Have you or your child tried any of the products for people with lactose intolerance? If yes, what helps?
  • Is that no one in your family is allergic to milk?

What you can do in the meantime

If you are having mild symptoms of the allergy from eating something that contained the milk, taking an antihistamine medication can lessen your discomfort. See more-severe symptoms that may require medical attention. If you or your child has symptoms of anaphylaxis, seek emergency medical attention.

Symptoms and treatment of Milk allergy