Do I Have Milk Allergy?

In: Health & Fitness

28 Jun 2009

Cow’s milk is one of the most frequent allergy-causing foods in children, and it’s the primary grounds of allergic reactions in quite young infants.

Milk allergy influences in the region of 2 percent to 3 percent of newborn worldwide, and its symptoms and signs may be terrible enough to cause agony not solely for an allergic child, but also for the child’s mother and father. But the fine news is that nearly all children outgrow the milk allergy by the age 2 or 3.

Allergic reactions more often than not happen a couple of minutes to a few hours after you consume milk ” but from time to time it can be days before symptoms and sign show. Signs and symptoms stretch from mild to serious and can include wheezing, vomiting, hives and digestive problems. Rarely, milk allergy can cause anaphylaxis – a severe, life-threatening reaction.

Milk Allergy Symptoms

Three types of milk correlated allergy symptoms have been accepted:

1. Symptoms start at once after eating/drinking cow’s milk. Reactions mostly affect the skin, causing hives and/or eczema.

2. Symptoms begin some hours after ingesting cow’s milk. Symptoms of this type are mainly diarrhea and vomiting.

3. Symptoms set in 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 complete list 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 above symptoms are not limited to people with milk allergy. Once one become familiar with food allergy symptoms, you probably notice that quite a few 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 crucial to distinguish a true milk allergy from milk protein intolerance or lactose intolerance. Unlike a milk allergy, intolerance doesn’t implicate the immune system. Milk intolerance causes different symptoms and necessitate separate care than does a true milk allergy. General 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 only way to prevent an allergic reaction is to avoid milk and milk proteins altogether. This can be tricky, as milk is a familiar 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 uneasiness. If you or your child has a life-threatening 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 critical reaction, you or your child may need to carry injectable epinephrine (such as an EpiPen) at all times.

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