Milk Allergy Explained
Thursday, April 16th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
Cow’s milk is the most frequent allergy-causing foods in children, and it’s the foremost cause of allergic responses in very young babies. Milk allergy involves in the region of 2 percent to 3 percent of infants globally, and its symptoms and signs may be significant enough to cause concern not merely for an allergic kid, but also for the child’s family. However the pleasant news is that nearly all kids outgrow a milk allergy by the age 2 or 3.
Allergic reactions as a rule occur a few minutes to a few hours after you eat/dring milk
— but every now and then it can be days before symptoms and sign show. Signs and symptoms range from mild to awful and might include wheezing, vomiting, hives and digestive problems. Seldom, milk allergy can cause anaphylaxis — a severe, life-threatening reaction.
Three types of milk connected allergy symptoms have been established:
- Symptoms set in speedily after ingesting cow’s milk. Reactions mostly affect the skin, triggering hives and/or eczema.
- Symptoms begin several hours after ingesting cow’s milk. Symptoms of this type are mainly diarrhea and vomiting.
- Symptoms commence more than twenty hours after eating/drinking. The major symptom for this type is diarrhea.
Symptoms of milk allergy can affect the skin, causing rashes or hives; the digestive tract, causing bloating and diarrhea, and the respiratory system, causing runny nose and asthma.
Here is a more inclusive listing of symptoms:
- vomiting
- hyperactive behavior
- diarrhea
- asthma
- hives
- runny nose
- rashes
- stuffy nose
- ear infections
- bloating
- watery eyes
- eczema
- allergic shiners (black around the eyes)
- recurrent bronchitis
- failure to thrive
The just mentioned symptoms are not restricted to people suffering from milk allergy. When you get to know food allergy symptoms, you probably notice that many foods share a variety of general symptoms, such as: bloating, rash, and runny nose.
What is the Difference of Milk allergy and Milk Intolerance?
It is critical to tell between a real milk allergy from milk protein intolerance or lactose intolerance. Unlike a milk allergy, intolerance doesn’t involve the immune system. Milk intolerance causes different symptoms and call for diverse care than does a true milk allergy. Regular signs and symptoms of milk protein intolerance or lactose intolerance include digestive problems, such as bloating, gas or diarrhea, after consuming milk.
Milk Allergy Prevention and Cure
The single way to prevent an allergic reaction is to avoid milk and milk proteins altogether. This can be demanding, as milk is a usual food ingredient.
Despite your best efforts, you or your child may still come into contact with milk. Medications, such as antihistamines, may reduce signs and symptoms of a milk allergy. These drugs can be taken after exposure to milk to control an allergic reaction and help relieve discomfort.
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’re at risk of having a serious reaction, you or your child may need to carry injectable epinephrine (such as an EpiPen) at all times.
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