Dorothy FarrarMilk allergy
The so-called milk allergy is more precisely an allergy to cow’s milk. This cow’s milk allergy occurs primarily in infants and young children. In most cases, the symptoms decrease with age. Although a milk allergy causes symptoms similar to those of lactose intolerance , it has different causes. A thorough examination to differentiate milk allergy from lactose intolerance is therefore important.
What is milk allergy?
Milk allergy is one of the food allergies. Other names for this disease are cow’s milk allergy or more specifically cow’s milk protein allergy (KMPA). Sometimes the English term Cow’s milk allergy (CMA) is used.
Since it is common in Central Europe that infants usually receive the first foreign protein in cow’s milk with their food, milk allergy is usually the first allergic reaction to a foreign protein there. The symptoms are similar to those of lactose intolerance, but the causes are different, since the milk sugar is not tolerated in lactose intolerance.
causes
When infants develop a milk allergy, it usually happens when they are first fed complementary foods containing cow’s milk. However, this is not always the case. Some of the infants develop a milk allergy even when they are exclusively breastfed by their mother. In this case, the allergen gets into the breast milk and thus into the baby’s body via the mother’s diet with cow’s milk. In this case, it is important to know whether it is a cow’s milk allergy, because changing the mother’s diet to a cow’s milk-free diet can then help.
symptoms and course
Possible signs of lactose intolerance:
- Digestive problems a few minutes to a few hours after consuming milk products
- Increased (sometimes painful) urge to defecate
A milk allergy occurs in about 2 to 3% of all infants and small children in Central Europe. The symptoms can be very different and range from a wide variety of gastrointestinal complaints to allergic skin reactions, various complaints in the respiratory tract to inconsolable crying, unusual tiredness or restlessness to dangerous cardiovascular problems.
In most cases, a milk allergy is unsightly, but not life-threatening. However, there are children who can also be prone to life-threatening states of shock as a result.
Diagnose
When examining a milk allergy, it is important to find out which of the ingredients in the milk protein is the trigger in order to find the right substitute food for the infant. Most young children are allergic to casein, β- and α-lactoglobulin. However, there are also infants in whom the milk allergy is triggered by bovine serum albumins, lactoferrin or immunoglobulins.
Most children who cannot tolerate cow’s milk or who are allergic to cow’s milk in their mother’s food, even when breastfeeding, also cannot tolerate goat’s, sheep’s or mare’s milk. The examination usually begins with a detailed discussion of the family disposition and the infant’s diet. It is then also important to keep an accurate food diary and to discuss this with the pediatrician in detail.
The so-called prick test is usually carried out as an allergen test. This is a skin test in which the skin is scratched and exposed to various allergens. If there are wheals, the reaction is positive. A blood test can also be helpful. This is usually the so-called RAST test. But there are also other blood tests to get clarity in the case of a milk allergy. Another possibility of investigation is the dairy-free elimination diet with the subsequent provocation.
This non-dairy elimination diet can be applied to the infant itself or, if the infant is still breastfed, to the mother’s diet. Once it has been found out what the child is allergic to, the pediatrician will be able to give the mother precise advice on how to continue feeding the infant and, depending on whether the mother is still breastfeeding the child or not, the right ones recommend substitute foods.
treatment and therapy
In the case of a milk allergy, it is important to consistently avoid the trigger for the symptoms (milk). Appropriate substitute food is available for this purpose, which can be helpful. If the mother is still breastfeeding the baby, it is sufficient if she does without milk products herself during this time. Then the breast milk is tolerated by the infant again. However, when there is a transition from feeding pure breast milk to complementary foods, it becomes important to know exactly how the child must be fed so that allergic reactions do not occur again, especially when it comes to dangerous allergic reactions reactions, which can vary from infant to infant.
Many children also cannot tolerate goat’s, sheep’s or mare’s milk and are also allergic to it. There are different special foods that can help. Which of these is the best must be found out together with the pediatrician.
Later, the children can gradually be healed through the hyposensitization by small and later increased portions of milk. Above all, this must be done together with the pediatrician if the allergy is so severe that shock reactions occur. This differs from child to child.
Most children with a milk allergy are no longer affected in adulthood. Approximately 75% of children can tolerate normal milk again by the age of two, 90% by school age and adults only very rarely suffer from a milk allergy.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.