Milk allergy symptoms, causes and treatment

Allergies to milk are the most common food allergies in children. In addition to regular cow's milk, goat's milk, sheep and water buffalo also can cause allergic reactions. And some children are allergic to cow's milk are also allergic to soy milk.

Milk allergy usually occurs a few minutes to several hours after consuming milk. Signs and symptoms of milk allergy vary from mild to severe and can occur shortness of breath, vomiting, itchy red spots on the skin and digestive problems. In rare cases, milk allergy can cause anaphylaxis, a severe life-threatening reaction.

Avoiding dairy products is the best way to treat allergies. Most children will have a milk allergy by age 3 years.

Symptoms:

Symptoms of milk allergy is different on each person and occur within a few minutes to several hours after ingesting milk.

Signs and symptoms of milk allergy that occurs immediately after consuming milk include:

- Rash with itching of the skin
- Shortness of breath
- Throw up

Signs and symptoms of milk allergy that requires more time to appear include:

- Watery feces, which may contain blood
- Diarrhea
- Cramps in the abdomen
- Cough or shortness of breath
- Runny nose
- Watery eyes
- An itchy skin rash, often around the mouth
- Colic in infants

Milk allergy or milk intolerance (inability to digest milk)?
Important to distinguish between a milk allergy or lactose intolerance to milk. Unlike a milk allergy, intolerance to milk is not associated with the body's immune system. Intolerance to milk causes different symptoms and require different treatment of milk allergy. Common signs and symptoms of intolerance to milk, among others, problems with digestion, such as flatulence or diarrhea, after consuming milk or milk-containing products.

Anaphylaxis
In rare cases, milk allergy can cause anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction that can narrow and block the airway. If you or your child has a reaction to milk, tell your doctor about it does not matter even a mild reaction. Checks can help ensure a milk allergy, so you can take steps to avoid a bad reaction in the future. Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency and requires treatment with injectable epinephrine (adrenaline). Signs and symptoms that began after consuming milk include:

- Damage to the respiratory tract, such as swelling of the throat making it difficult to breathe
- Facial sweating
- Itchy
- Surprised, the severe drop in blood pressure

Causes & Risk Factors

Cause

All milk allergies are caused by malfunction of the immune system. Your immune system identifies harmless milk protein for your body, triggering the production of antibody immunoglobulin E (IgE) to neutralize the protein (which is considered as an allergen). Henceforth, if you are in contact with these proteins, these IgE antibodies will see it and send signals to the body's immune system to release histamine and other chemicals. Histamine and other chemicals cause various signs and symptoms. Histamine take a role in many allergic reactions, including runny nose, itchy eyes, sore throat, rash, rash with itching, nausea, diarrhea, shortness of breath, and anaphylaxis.

There are two types of protein in cow's milk can cause allergic reactions:

- Casein, which is found in the milk is frozen solid
- Whey, which is found in the liquid part of milk remaining after milk frozen

You or your child may have an allergy only to a milk protein or both. Protein is not only found in milk, but also in food. In addition, most of those who have a reaction to cow's milk are also allergic to milk sheep, goats and buffaloes. Those who have an allergy to cow's milk can also have an allergy to soy milk.

Risk factors:

Specific factors can bring you to the risk of having a milk allergy, among others:

- Other allergies. Many children with milk allergies also have other allergies. Milk allergy is often first appear.
- Atopic dermatitis. Children with this type of skin reactions are more likely to have food allergies.
- Family history. You are at increased risk for food allergies if one or both of your parents have allergies to food or other allergies.
- Of age. Milk allergy is more common in children. The more you grow older, your digestion will be more mature and more immune your body will react to milk.

Prevention

There is no sure way to prevent food allergy occurs for the first time. But you can prevent signs and symptoms by avoiding foods that cause your allergies. If you know you or your child is allergic to milk, be sure to avoid dairy products. Know what you or your child's eating and drinking. Read food labels carefully.

Some research suggests that breastfeeding for up to four months of age babies can help prevent allergic to milk. In children who have allergies to milk, breast-feeding and the use of hypoallergenic formula (formula made from milk protein enzymes to destroy) can prevent allergic reactions.