FacebookIt is important not to confuse the two as there are important differences in how they are treated.
What is milk allergy?
Milk allergy is an abnormal response by the body’s immune system to cow’s milk and products made with it. It is one of the most common food allergies, and is estimated to affect around 7% of babies under one year old, although most children grow out it by the time they are five.
In cases of cow’s milk allergy, the allergic reaction usually occurs soon after the child or adult consumes milk, resulting in symptoms such wheezing, vomiting, skin hives and digestive problems. Milk allergy can also cause anaphylaxis, a severe, life-threatening reaction.
Avoiding milk products is the basic treatment for milk allergy.
Breast milk for babies does not cause the allergy, and is the best way to nourish a child and help to avoid the onset of milk allergy later on. There are rare cases where a baby has reacted to cow’s milk consumed by the mother during the period of breast-feeding, an issue that is solved by the mother switching to non-dairy diet.
What causes milk allergy?
If you have milk allergy, your immune system identifies certain proteins in milk as harmful to the body, triggering the production of immunoglobulin (IgE) antibodies to neutralise the allergen. The next time your body has contact with these proteins, IgE antibodies recognise them and tell your immune system to release histamine and other chemicals, causing a range of allergic signs and symptoms.
The two main proteins in cow’s milk that can cause an allergic reaction are casein, which is found in the solid part (curd) of milk that curdles, and whey, from the liquid that remains after milk curdles.
A person can be allergic to only one milk protein or to both. As well as milk, these proteins are also present in different kinds of processed food. Most people who are allergic to cow’s milk will also react to sheep’s, goat’s and buffalo milk.
Risk factors: is milk allergy genetic?
Or do we develop milk allergy? Milk allergy is most common in small children. As they age their digestive systems mature and their bodies are less likely to react to milk. Many children who are allergic to milk will also have other allergies, but milk allergy is often the first to develop.
There is a hereditary component in that a person’s risk of any food allergy is greater if one or both parents have a food allergy or another kind of allergy or allergic disease, such as hay fever, asthma, hives or eczema.
Milk allergy symptoms
Cow’s milk allergy can cause a very wide range of signs and symptoms, including:
- Skin reactions, including a red itchy rash or swelling of the lips, face and around the eyes
- Digestive problems, including stomach pain, vomiting, colic, diarrhoea or constipation
- Hay-fever or asthma-like symptoms, including a runny or blocked nose, or wheezing, cough, shortness of breath
In some cases, a very severe allergic reaction is possible including swelling in the mouth or throat and even anaphylaxis, a medical emergency which can involve feeling faint, breathing difficulty, wheezing, a fast heartbeat, clammy skin, confusion and anxiety, and potentially collapsing or loss of consciousness.
Milk allergy symptoms in children and babies
How do I know if my baby has a milk allergy? The symptoms will include some of the above, but it is also worth bearing in mind that some milk allergies do not cause symptoms to appear immediately. Delayed milk allergy is where symptoms tend to begin several hours after milk or a dairy product is consumed.
Children with milk allergy can also show signs such as loose stools, blood in their stools, a refusal to eat, excessive irritability or colic.
The difference between milk allergy and lactose intolerance
Lactose intolerance is another kind of reaction to milk and shares several symptoms with milk allergy. Lactose intolerance is not an allergy, but a digestive problem caused by a lack of the enzyme lactase that allows the gut to digest lactose. When lactose is not digested, it ferments in the intestine, causing symptoms including flatulence, diarrhoea or constipation, a bloated stomach, stomach cramping and nausea.
Lactose intolerance is less common in children and very common in adults. When it appears in children, it is often temporary as a result of an intestinal infection, and will sort itself out in a few weeks.
If you are lactose intolerant, you must avoid foods with lactose, but there are lactose-free dairy products available. If you have milk allergy, you must avoid all dairy products and check ingredients of processed food carefully for the presence of milk proteins.
It is important to seek expert medical diagnosis if you suspect you or your child may have either milk allergy or lactose intolerance.
Milk allergy treatment
If a child or adult has been diagnosed with milk allergy, it is important to get advice from a doctor and dietitian on how to manage the allergy and maintain a balanced diet. Milk is an important source of vitamins and minerals, notably calcium, which is vital for bone growth and strength.
Treatment for milk allergy involves removing all milk from the diet for a period of time. If a baby has milk allergy and is drinking formula milk, a doctor can prescribe or recommend special infant formula for them. If a baby suspected of having milk allergy is being breastfed, the mother will be advised to avoid all dairy products.
Children tend to grow out of milk allergy, so it is important that they are reassessed regularly.
Tips on how to manage milk allergy
Read food labels carefully. Look out for casein, one of the milk proteins that causes milk allergy, and which can be found in all kinds of processed foods, including canned fish and processed meats. Ask about ingredients when ordering in restaurants.
Even if a food is labelled "milk-free" or "non-dairy", it can contain milk proteins, so always check the complete list of ingredients.
Breastfeeding is the best source of nutrition for your child. The longer you can breastfeed, the better, especially if your baby is at risk of developing a milk allergy for hereditary reasons.
For good sources of natural calcium, try to eat plenty of:
- Leafy green vegetables, such as cabbage, broccoli and kale
- Soya beans
- Tofu
- Nuts
- Fish with edible bones, such as sardines
- Water and drinks with added calcium
Your doctor may recommend you take calcium and vitamin D supplements.
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