What is Milk Allergy?
Cow’s milk is one of the most widespread allergy-causing foods in children, and it’s the most important origin of allergic reactions in especially young babies.
Milk allergy involves roughly speaking 2 percent to 3 percent of babies globally, and its symptoms and signs can be important enough to cause worry not merely for an allergic child, but also for the child’s family. But the fine news is that the majority of children outgrow a milk allergy by the age 2 or 3.
Allergic reactions mostly happen a couple of minutes to a few hours after you consume milk ” but occasionally it can be days before symptoms and sign occur. Signs and symptoms stretch from mild to harsh and might include wheezing, vomiting, hives and digestive problems. Very rarely, milk allergy can cause anaphylaxis – a severe, life-threatening reaction.
Milk Allergy Symptoms
Three types of milk correlated allergy symptoms have been acknowledged:
1. Symptoms set in at once following eating/drinking cow’s milk. Reactions generally affect the skin, triggering hives and/or eczema.
2. Symptoms commence some hours after ingesting cow’s milk. Symptoms of this type are mainly diarrhea and vomiting.
3. Symptoms commence 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 comprehensive listing 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 listed symptoms are not restricted to people suffering from milk allergy. As one get to know food allergy symptoms, you will note that numerous foods share a variety of regular symptoms, such as: bloating, rash, and runny nose.
What is the Difference of Milk allergy and Milk Intolerance?
It is important to tell apart a real milk allergy from milk protein intolerance or lactose intolerance. Unlike a milk allergy, intolerance doesn’t involve the immune system. Milk intolerance causes different symptoms and requires diverse care than does a true milk allergy. Ordinary 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 single way to prevent an allergic reaction is to avoid milk and milk proteins altogether. This can be complicated, as milk is a common 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 severe 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 severe reaction, you or your child may need to carry injectable epinephrine (such as an EpiPen) at all times.