Milk Allergy Explained

By Maja Maartens

Cow's milk is the most widespread allergy-causing foods in kids, and it's the chief cause of allergic responses in very young infants.

Milk allergy disturbs in the region of 2 percent to 3 percent of infants globally, and its symptoms and signs may be critical enough to cause worry not only for an allergic kid, but also for the child's family. But the pleasant news is that most kids grow out of a milk allergy by the age 2 or 3.

Allergic reactions ordinarily show a couple of minutes to a few hours after you eat/drink milk " but in some cases it can be days before symptoms and sign show. Signs and symptoms stretch from soft to critical and may include wheezing, vomiting, hives and digestive problems. Seldom, milk allergy can cause anaphylaxis - a severe, life-threatening reaction.

Milk Allergy Symptoms

Three types of milk connected allergy symptoms have been recognized:

1. Symptoms set off quickly subsequent to eating/drinking cow's milk. Responses mostly affect the skin, triggering hives and/or eczema.

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

3. Symptoms set off more than twenty hours after consuming. The important 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 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 mentioned symptoms are not restricted to people suffering from milk allergy. When one become familiar with food allergy symptoms, you will notice that several foods share a variety of common symptoms, such as: bloating, rash, and runny nose.

What is the Difference of Milk allergy and Milk Intolerance?

It is critical 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 triggers different symptoms and involve different action 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 general 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 discomfort. 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 severe reaction, you or your child may need to carry injectable epinephrine (such as an EpiPen) at all times. - 17269

About the Author:

Maja Maartens is extremely competent with milk allergy on a personal level and she has written many in dept articles on the subject. For an exhaustive and meticulous explaination on milk allergy symptoms and how to live without milk and gluten visit her website.