Milk Allergy in Infants
Milk allergy is an immune system reaction against a protein found in milk: casein. This occurs due to inability of an immune system to classify milk proteins as harmless.
Children are the ones who are the most affected but adults can suffer from milk allergy to. Breast-fed babies have a low risk of developing allergies, but at the same time, not all babies fed formula milk powder are allergic to milk protein.
In general, allergy resolves around the age of 4 years, but is not a rule.
There are 2 type of milk reaction: quick reaction and slow reaction:
Quick reactions – occur suddenly (from several seconds to several hours from the time of ingestion of milk); symptoms include shortness of breath, vomiting, urticaria, angioedema (lips, eyes or tongue swells strongly) and anaphylaxis.
Slow reactions – reactions are recorded slowly (several hours to several days after consuming milk). Symptoms include vomiting, feelings of irritability, inability to gain weight and develop normally. This type of reaction is difficult to distinguish because similar symptoms are triggered regardless of the allergen.
The Milk Allergy Symptoms
Skin reactions
- hives;
- eczema;
- swelling of the lips, mouth, tongue, face or neck;
- very pronounced dark circles.
Reactions in the gastro intestinal tract
- abdominal pain;
- flatulence – characterized by increasing the volume of abdominal symptoms caused by the accumulation of gas in stomach or intestine;
- diarrhea;
- vomiting;
- cramps
Reactions in the respiratory tract
- runny nose;
- sneezing;
- red eyes;
- cough;
- breathing difficulties
There is a Difference Between Milk Allergy and Milk Intolerance
While lactose intolerant (milk sugar) is the inability to have produced a sufficient amount of lactose (the enzyme producing glands, small intestine) to convert blood sugar into glucose, allergy to milk is produced by the immune system milk proteins treated as “enemies” of the body.
Specific signs and symptoms of allergy during early childhood appear again (from birth to age 3 years), intolerant of lactose is extremely rare in this interval;
Allergy affects the digestive, respiratory and skin, intolerance has an impact only on digestion, causing primarily flatulence;
In very rare cases, allergic to milk is a major threat (following an anaphylactic shock can die), intolerant of lactose is not a serious health condition so – there are people who (despite being faced with this problem) can consume small amounts of milk without experiencing any symptoms.
Treatment
Allergies can occur at any stage of life, a baby may be born with an allergy or adult as you can hit this obstacle. Although allergies are difficult in establishing treatment in many cases they can go away. This is triggered when the immune system realize that allergen is actually harmless.
The best method of treatment available for any allergy is to avoid the allergen (milk and products containing milk, in this case).
Cow Milk Allergy
It is intolerance to the caw milk. Cow’s milk proteins can cause allergic reactions in some set of infants. Allergy to cow’s milk or cow’s milk protein intolerance is often considered the reason the child is not healthy or happy. About 1 in 50 infants may have this problem – most get over this problem by the age of 4 years and cow’s milk allergy rarely meets the adult. Signs and symptoms will occur shortly after the baby was fed.
Treatment
Cow milk is not difficult to treat. You should remove cow’ milk and dairy products from your diet.
Tips:
If you are breastfeeding, avoid dairy products (cheese, yogurt, butter, ice cream).
Check food labels on sauces and packaged foods, as milk will often be used, and may be listed as casein, whey or lactate.
Use other alternative calcium sources.
