Determining If Your Child Has A Milk Allergy Or Lactose Intolerance
Parents have all kinds of concerns when caring for an infant. A child’s immune system is constantly strengthening as your child grows and because of a child’s immune system working overtime, milk allergy symptoms are one of the most common allergies in children.
The symptoms of milk allergies in children:
• Wheezing due to constricted airways.
• Vomiting due to stomach irritation and upset.
• A skin rash of red raised welts.
• Digestive problems such as bloating and gas in the digestive tract. The gas buildup can be very painful and cause the stomach to cramp.
• Lower digestive tract distress such as diarrhea or constipation.
• In rare cases shortness of breath becomes life threatening or intestinal bleeding can occur.
Strange allergy symptoms generally occur within one hour of milk consumption. An infant may also become very cranky and irritable, crying loudly due to the pain. Some children who are allergic to cow’s milk (usually the type of milk causing allergy symptoms) may also have a goat, buffalo, sheep or soy milk allergy. While sensitivity to soy milk is rare, it does occur.
Milk Allergy Symptoms or Lactose Intolerance?
Some mistake the digestive tract distress (gas, bloating, and diarrhea) that is caused by lactose intolerance for a milk allergy. A true milk allergy causes the immune system to incorrectly respond when milk is consumed.
Lactose intolerance does not involve the immune system (no difficulty breathing or wheezing) and is the result of sensitivity to the lactose protein in milk. The GI tract becomes irritated and the above listed symptoms occur. It is quite disruptive to sufferers if they do not avoid lactose or take a supplement to aid digestion of it.
The two main proteins that cause milk allergy are casein and whey. These are also found in many manufactured foods. Read labels carefully to spot these proteins in your food.
Milk Allergy Treatment:
Treatment is generally aimed at avoiding milk and dairy product. For those lucky enough not to have a soy milk allergy, substitute soy milk in your diet where you were using cow’s milk. Cheese and other products are available at many grocery stores.
There is a hereditary link in developing milk allergy symptoms. If you have a family history, have other allergies already, or have types of eczema like atopic eczema, you are more likely to develop a milk allergy.
Children often find out suddenly that they have milk allergy. Milk allergies in children most often occur in young children (under the age of three) that some outgrow when they reach adulthood.
Knowing what the symptoms are, can help you to recognize what is a milk allergy and what is lactose intolerance (see lactose intolerance e symptoms listed.) in your child. Knowing the symptoms will help you (and your physician) determine the proper course of treatment. For those children who reach adulthood and still have milk allergy symptoms, consult a regular health professional to discuss treatment options.
