Cow’s milk allergy – Better Health Channel

About cow’s milk allergy

An allergy to cow’s milk and related dairy products affects one in 50 in babies and is different to lactose intolerance. Very few adults are allergic to cow’s milk. People who are allergic to cow’s milk can also be allergic to milk from other animals such as goats, sheep and buffalo.

Symptoms of milk allergy vary and range from mild reactions to a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis). Some people experience symptoms immediately, but in others, the symptoms can take time to develop.

If you think you, or someone in your care, have a cow’s milk allergy, visit your doctor for a diagnosis. To manage a cow’s milk allergy, all food containing milk must be avoided (under strict medical supervision).

Exclusion and reintroduction of cow’s milk and other dairy foods should only be undertaken with advice from a medical specialist (and in many cases, a dietitian), particularly in cases of anaphylaxis. If long-term exclusion is required, an alternative source of calcium and protein is needed, to ensure adequate nutrition and growth.

Do not change your child’s diet without consulting a doctor or your child could suffer from nutritional deficiencies.

Food allergies can be life threatening. If you, or someone in your care, have a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), call triple zero (000) for an ambulance. Do not stand or walk. Administer adrenaline (epinephrine) via injector (EpiPen® or Anapen®), if available.

Causes of cow’s milk allergy

Milk allergy is most commonly caused by an allergy to cow’s milk, although some people are allergic to milk from other animals such as goats, sheep and buffalo.

In all allergies, the immune system reacts to triggers, also known as allergens. Your immune system produces antibodies that detect the allergen, causing inflammatory reactions and the release of chemicals, including histamine, which cause allergic symptoms.

In the case of milk, the triggers are milk proteins including whey and casein. You or your child may be allergic to either one of these proteins, or both.

More researchExternal Link is needed into the causes, diagnosis and treatment of food allergy.

Some reactions to milk are not caused by allergies

Some people can have a physical reaction to milk that is not due to an allergy. If you lack an enzyme called lactase, which breaks down the milk sugar lactose, you can experience symptoms that seem similar to an allergy (diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pain and gas). This is called lactose intolerance and is different from milk allergy, because it does not involve your immune system reacting to a trigger.

Some people also experience excess thick mucus in their throat after eating or drinking dairy products, but this is not caused by an allergy. The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) advises that this mucus production is not a health risk.

Symptoms of cow’s milk allergy

Symptoms of a cow’s milk allergy can appear within minutes or several days of consuming cow’s milk or dairy products. The severity of the symptoms will depend on the person and the amount of cow’s milk they consume.

Symptoms that can appear within minutes of having a small amount of milk include:

• raised red bumps of skin – hives (urticaria)
• itchy, red, weeping or crusty rash of the skin – dermatitis or eczema
• swelling of the face
• wheeze or persistent cough
• vomiting
• diarrhoea.

If your child is prone to a severe allergic reaction to milk, these symptoms can also appear very rapidly.

Symptoms that can appear within hours include:

• vomiting
• diarrhoea
• rashes or eczema.

Symptoms that can appear within days include:

• eczema
• diarrhoea
• asthma.

Severe allergic reaction – anaphylaxis

Cow’s milk is one of the most common foods to cause severe allergic reactions. Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) is life threatening.

Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction include:

• difficult or noisy breathing
• swelling of the tongue
• swelling or tightness of the throat
• difficulty talking or hoarse voice
• wheeze or persistent cough
• persistent dizziness or collapse
• paleness and floppiness in young children

If you, or someone your care, have a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), call triple zero (000) for an ambulance.

• Do not stand or walk.
• Administer adrenaline (epinephrine) via injector (EpiPen® or Anapen®), if available.
• Further adrenaline may be given if there is no response after 5 minutes.
• Give adrenaline first, then asthma reliever puffer, if required.

Keep a record of your symptoms

Keep a diary that describes your symptoms or your child’s symptoms and when and where they occur. Your diary could include information about whether the symptoms occur:

• inside your home, outside or both
• for a short time or longer
• at night, during the day or when you wake up
• after you have had a particular food or drink
• after you have taken a particular medication, either prescription or over the counter from a pharmacy or supermarket
• after you have taken a herbal medicine.

Diagnosis of cow’s milk allergy

If you or your child have allergic symptoms, visit your family doctor who will ask some questions about your reactions. You can also discuss your record of your symptoms. To diagnose your allergy, your doctor may refer you to a clinical immunology/allergy specialist.

If your symptoms appear rapidly after eating or drinking milk or dairy products, the allergy may be easier to diagnose, whereas symptoms that take longer to appear make diagnosis more difficult.

Allergists can test for allergies using a number of methods depending on the type of potential allergy. To test for an allergy, the allergist may:

• do a skin prick test
• do a blood test
• ask you to temporarily avoid all milk or products containing milk (elimination diet), then follow up with the introduction of milk back into your diet (food challenge) under strict medical supervision.

A number of methods claim to test for allergies but have not been medically or scientifically provenExternal Link. They can be costly and could lead to dangerous avoidance of certain foods. The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) recommends that you do not use certain methods to have potential allergies tested, including:

• cytotoxic food testing
• electrodermal testing
• hair analysis
• iridology
• kinesiology
• pulse testing
• reflexology
• Vega testing.

Always speak with your doctor if you are thinking of using a complementary medicine or therapy for allergies.

Treatment for cow’s milk allergy

If you or your child have been diagnosed with milk allergy, treatment involves total avoidance of milk or products containing milk. This can be difficult to achieve.

The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) advises that children who are allergic to cow’s milk are often allergic to goat’s milk, and so substitution with a milk of animal origin may not be possible.

To avoid milk and milk products, read food labels and avoid foods that contain milk or milk products such as:

• butter
• buttermilk
• casein and caseinate
• cheese
• chocolate
• cow’s or goat’s milk – including ‘A2 milk’
• cream
• crème fraiche
• ghee
• ice cream
• margarines that contain milk products
• milk powder
• nougat
• whey
• yoghurt.

ASCIA has more information about dietary avoidance of cow’s milk for food allergyExternal Link.

Eliminate milk and milk products from your baby or young child’s diet only under strict medical supervision. Your doctor will need to advise on replacement sources of calcium and protein, which are especially important nutrients for children. Replacement formulas for babies also needs to be carefully supervised. For example, some children with cow’s milk allergy will not be able to tolerate soy milk products.

Emergency treatment for severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis)

If you are at risk of a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), carry an adrenaline injector such as an EpiPen® or Anapen®, an Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) Action Plan for AnaphylaxisExternal Link and a means of calling for medical assistance, such as a mobile telephone.

Emergency responses for a severe allergic reactionExternal Link are:

• Lay the person flat – do not allow them to stand or walk.
• Administer adrenaline with an injector into the outer mid-thigh.
• Always dial triple zero (000) to call an ambulance in a medical emergency.
• Further doses of adrenaline may be given if there is no response after 5 minutes.
• Give adrenaline first, then asthma reliever puffer, if required.

If you are at risk of a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) make sure you:

• Have an ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis.
• Carry an adrenaline injector (such as an EpiPen® or Anapen®) to treat a severe allergic reaction.
• Consider wearing medical identification jewellery – this increases the likelihood that adrenaline will be administered in an emergency.
• Avoid medication (where possible) that may increase the severity of allergic reaction or complicate its treatment such as beta blockers.
• Avoid the food which causes your allergic reaction.
• Tell food staff about your allergy when eating out.
• Seek medical advice from a doctor or clinical immunology/allergy specialist.

Adrenaline injectors are also available over the counter from a pharmacy.

Where to get help

• In an emergency, always call triple zero (000)
• Emergency department of your nearest hospital
• Your GP (doctor)
• NURSE-ON-CALL Tel. 1300 60 60 24 – for health information and advice (24 hours, 7 days)
• St John Ambulance AustraliaExternal Link Tel. 1300 360 455
• Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASICA)External Link
  • Cow’s milk allergyExternal Link
  • Locate a specialistExternal Link
• Allergy and Anaphylaxis AustraliaExternal Link

Lactose Intolerance vs. Dairy Allergy: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Living With

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

• Symptoms
• Am I More Likely to Have Dairy Allergy?
• Getting Tested
• Testing for Lactose Intolerance
• Testing for Dairy Allergy
• Living With Lactose Intolerance
• Living With Dairy Allergy
• More

Lactose intolerance and dairy allergy sound a lot alike. Many people think they’re the same thing. But, how they’re caused (and how they affect your body) are very different.

Lactose intolerance involves the digestive system: If you have it, your body doesn’t make lactase, the enzyme needed to digest lactose. That’s the sugar in milk. Instead of digesting normally in your stomach and small intestine, undigested lactose moves into your colon, where it’s broken down by bacteria and causes bloating and gas. It can be uncomfortable, but it’s not dangerous.

Lactose intolerance is common in adults – about 30 million Americans have it by age 20. It’s more common in people with Asian, African or Native American heritage and less common in people with a northern or western European background.

Dairy allergy involves the immune system: If you have it, your body reacts to the proteins in milk and other dairy products as if they’re dangerous invaders. It releases substances that cause allergy symptoms. This allergic reaction can be mild (rashes) to severe (trouble breathing, loss of consciousness).

Dairy allergy is one of most common allergies, especially in children. As many as 2 in every 100 children under 4 years old are allergic to milk. It’s even more common in babies.

Some symptoms of lactose intolerance and dairy allergy may be the same:

• Diarrhea
• Nausea; sometimes vomiting
• Abdominal cramps
• Bloating
• Gas

But dairy allergy can also cause a reaction in other parts of your body, including the skin and lungs:

• Rash
• Hives
• Swelling, often in the lips and face
• Wheezing
• Tightness in throat
• Trouble swallowing

There may be blood in the stool (poop) too, especially in babies.

Anaphylaxis is a serious, life-threatening allergic reaction and often begins minutes after you eat a food you’re allergic to, but sometimes it can happen hours later. It usually involves more than one symptom in more than one part of your body at the same time.

If you have a severe allergy or if you’ve ever had anaphylaxis in the past, talk to your doctor about carrying an injectable epinephrine (Adrenaclick, Auvi-Q, EpiPen, a generic auto-injector, Symjepi) to slow down or stop the allergic reaction.

You’re more likely to develop dairy allergy if:

• You have other allergies
• You have eczema
• One or both of your parents has a food or other allergy, like hay fever, eczema or asthma
• You’re young. Milk allergy is more common in children. As you get older, your digestive system is less likely to react to milk, but you’re likelier to have lactose intolerance.

First your doctor will take your medical history to understand your symptoms and how your body reacts to dairy foods. Then you’ll be tested to confirm whether it’s lactose intolerance or a dairy allergy.

Lactose tolerance test: You’ll drink a liquid that contains a lot of lactose. About 2 hours later, the amount of glucose (sugar) in your bloodstream will be measured. If your glucose level doesn’t rise, you’re not digesting the lactose in the drink.

Hydrogen breath test: You’ll drink a liquid that contains a lot of lactose. Then, the hydrogen in your breath will be measured at regular intervals. If you’re not digesting lactose, it will be broken down in your colon, releasing hydrogen that can be detected in your breath.

Stool acidity test: Babies and children who can’t be tested otherwise can have their stool tested for lactic acid caused by the breakdown of undigested lactose in the colon.

Skin prick test: A small drop of liquid containing the dairy allergen is placed under your skin on your forearm or back. If a raised bump surrounded by itchy red skin appears, a dairy allergy is likely.

Your doctor might have you take a blood test too, which measures the amount of certain antibodies in your blood.

Both tests can have “false positives.” You can test positive for an allergy even though you really don’t have it. Your allergist will explain the results.

If an allergy is still suspected but not confirmed, your doctor may have you take an oral challenge. You’ll be fed different foods that may or may not contain milk in increasing amounts to see if you react to food that contains milk.

Lactose intolerance is easily managed, mostly by limiting the amount of dairy food and drink you consume. You can also try lactose-reduced ice cream and milk, or take lactase enzyme supplements when you eat dairy products to help your body digest lactose.

If you have dairy allergy, you’ll need to avoid all dairy foods and other foods that contain dairy products.

Staying safe means reading food labels to see if milk or ingredients containing milk are included. Milk proteins are found in many foods you wouldn’t expect. Some canned tuna, energy drinks and even chewing gum contain them. And don’t eat lactose-reduced foods if you have dairy allergy. They still contain the milk proteins that can cause allergic reactions.

Top Picks

Milk allergy and lactose intolerance

The terms “milk allergy” and “lactose intolerance” are often confused or thought to mean the same thing. However, these diseases have important differences that determine the daily diet.

Back Allergies and intolerances

Many people have problems consuming milk and dairy products, so it is important to distinguish between milk allergy and lactose intolerance.

What is a milk allergy?

Although quite rare in adults, milk allergy is one of the most common allergies in infants and children . An allergic reaction is caused by proteins contained in milk . Symptoms come on very quickly from the moment dairy products are consumed. In addition to diarrhea and bloating, typical symptoms include skin rash with itching, asthma, atopic dermatitis, and, in the worst case, anaphylactic shock, which can lead to cardiac arrest. In most cases, allergies in children go away before they are ten years old.

Milk Allergy Diet

People with a milk allergy should completely abstain from milk and dairy products . A wide variety of milk substitutes, cream, yoghurt, and plant-based cheeses are available today. People with an allergy to milk are contraindicated, including dairy products that do not contain lactose.

What is lactose intolerance?

Image

Just as the proteins found in milk and dairy products cause an allergic reaction in people who are allergic to milk, people with lactose intolerance cause unpleasant symptoms lactose . In such people, lactase is either completely absent in the body, or produced in very small quantities. In this regard, the human body is not able to process the lactose contained in milk. The absence or deficiency of lactase interferes with the digestion of lactose in the intestine and thereby stimulates bacterial growth in it. Characteristic signs of lactose intolerance are unquenchable thirst and various digestive disorders manifested in the form of diarrhea, bloating and abdominal pain after consumption of milk and dairy products.

Diet for lactose intolerance

Unlike people with milk allergies, people with lactose intolerance can eat a wide variety of lactose-free dairy products . The latter are well tolerated by many dairy products, including hard cheese, since the lactose in these products is already naturally decomposed.

Lactose-free and gluten-free diets

Schär offers a wide range of products, lactose-free and gluten-free , which will bring you even more pleasure. Many people with gluten intolerance find it difficult to maintain a healthy yet varied diet of delicious food on a daily basis. Many Schär baked goods, pastas, flours, breakfast cereals, biscuits and sweets are not only gluten- and lactose-free, but also taste great. For a list of Schär lactose-free products, click here.

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Milk allergy (lactose): milk allergy in children and adults

Milk allergy (or lactose allergy) is a response of the human immune system to milk protein. An interesting fact is that for one person only sheep’s milk can be an allergen, and he can safely drink goat’s and cow’s milk, and for another person, absolutely all dairy products can serve as allergens.

This is due to the fact that the milk of artiodactyl animals does not contain the same types of proteins.

And so some people are allergic to one type of protein in milk, while others are allergic to several types of proteins. In the event that casein (a protein whose percentage in milk is 80% of all proteins) acts as an allergen for a person, then a person cannot eat any types of dairy products. That is, when a person is allergic to cow’s milk (or, to be more precise, to cow’s milk protein), he can still drink goat’s milk without any difficulty.

Types of proteins in milk

In general, it can be said that milk contains different types of proteins, which determine the nature of human allergic disease.

Casein is found in all types of milk, as mentioned above. And this means that it is not possible to replace the use of one milk with another in the presence of an allergy to milk.

Whey proteins. Such proteins are temperature sensitive. Accordingly, when milk is boiled, the process of destruction of such proteins occurs. That is why, if it is impossible to eat raw milk, you can safely use boiled milk.

Causes of allergy to lactose

Causes of allergy to lactose (milk sugar) may be as follows:

Genetic heredity to ensure that a hypersensitive reaction is formed in the human body to the intake of substances that serve as irritants.

Malfunctions of the immune system when specific immunoglobulin E is produced in large quantities.

If the enzyme that is responsible for the processing of the protein contained in milk is not present in the patient’s body or is present, but in too small quantity, then the human body will react to proteins as if they were foreign substances and react accordingly.

Symptoms of an allergy to milk (lactose)

The symptoms of an allergy in adults are as follows: , flatulence, spasms.

Severe symptoms

Symptoms may become more severe. For example, in adults, there may be sudden changes in pressure, choking, or there is a strong degree of swelling of the throat and mouth.

It is worth noting the fact that it does not matter what kind of milk a person is allergic to, since the symptoms will be the same for an allergy to cow’s protein, and an allergy to goat’s, and sheep’s.

If you experience any of the above symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor for qualified assistance and treatment. It is almost impossible to remove milk from among the irritants that cause an allergic reaction, even if drugs are used for this. The only thing that can be done to prevent lactose allergy is to remove milk, and also dairy products, if necessary, from the list of foods consumed. At the same time, it is worth mentioning that milk, one way or another, is an integral part of a huge number of products, such as chocolate, white bread, ice cream, sour cream, breakfast cereals, pastry, cream, condensed milk, and instant soups, as well as dry soups. mixtures. So in the event that the patient has a pronounced allergic reaction to milk, you should stop eating not only yogurt, kefir, cheese, milk and cottage cheese, but also the aforementioned products that contain milk. In addition, milk components can be found in cosmetics, and therefore they should be checked for the presence of an allergen. Since sometimes it can be quite difficult to determine whether a product contains milk or not, people who are prone to this type of allergy are strongly advised to always carry medications with them, which can quickly remove the symptoms of milk allergy that have appeared.

Milk allergy in a child

When a child has a milk allergy, the disease process is accompanied by the same symptoms as in adults. If a child has an allergy to milk protein, which is found in dairy products such as milk (breast), cottage cheese, cheese, yogurt, kefir, etc., then he may be more capricious, and also lag behind in growth and development ( this is due to the fact that he does not receive the necessary amount of nutrients for this). In addition, he may have loose stools or burp after feeding. It is much easier to understand that milk has become the cause of an allergic disease when the sick person is a child. Because, unlike an adult, whose diet should still be checked for possible irritants, a child’s milk allergy can manifest itself immediately during breastfeeding. At the same time, it should be added that over time, in young children, an allergy to milk disappears, remaining in adulthood in only 1% of those who were ill.

If a child develops the above symptoms, they should be taken to a specialist immediately. In order to find out if there is an allergy specifically to milk, and, as a possible consequence, to dairy products, the following procedures can be carried out: to check the blood for the content of immunoglobulins in it, skin allergic tests are performed; to check the blood for the content of antibodies in it, take its analysis.

The presence of such an allergic disease creates a large number of inconveniences for the patient, especially if it is a small child. They are advised to give milk substitutes for food, which are designed specifically for allergy sufferers. The composition of such milk includes milk of plant origin and goat’s milk, which is completely harmless to your baby, because intolerance to goat’s milk is extremely rare. Its important advantage is the fact that it is close to the female in its composition. For adults, it is recommended to eat such types of milk as oat, rice, soy and almond. At the same time, for approximately a quarter of people who are allergic to milk protein, soy is also an allergen, so they cannot change milk to soy in their diet. There is no such protein in rice milk, but at the same time, its disadvantage is the low level of nutritional and beneficial properties compared to their level in other types of milk.

It is also recommended to change the butter for a product such as margarine.