Cow's Milk Allergies - Common Symptoms

Infant Allergies

Milk allergies are the most common form of food allergy, affecting millions of people. While some symptoms are similar, this allergy is not the same as lactose intolerance. With milk allergies, certain proteins are not recognized by the immune system, causing a severe reaction. A cow's milk can be a unique challenge for allergy sufferers because of the prevalence of dairy ingredients in many products.

Infant Allergies

Symptoms

Infant Allergies

Cow's milk usually cause digestive symptoms, including cramping, diarrhea, and vomiting. In some cases, the immune system reaction will be strong enough to cause other symptoms such as hives and skin rashes. A severe milk allergy can result in an anaphylactic reaction.

Infant Allergies

Who is Affected?

Symptoms of cow's milk allergies tend to show up in infants and young children. Fortunately, most children outgrow a milk allergy by the time they are a teenager. When a child is diagnosed, they will need to avoid dairy for one to two years. After this time, a doctor can periodically check to see if they still have a milk allergy. Eventually, milk can be gradually reintroduced into the diet of most allergy sufferers.

Ingredients to Watch out For

When looking for safe products, there are obvious ingredients such as cheese, butter, and cream to look for on the label. However, there are other ingredient names that will indicate dairy ingredients. If a product label mentions caseinate, whey, or lactalbumin, it contains milk proteins and needs to be avoided. A number of unusual products such as processed meats and egg substitutes contain these ingredients. Don't assume the product is free of milk ingredients without checking the label.

Alternatives to Cow's Milk

People diagnosed with a cow's milk allergy need to remove all dairy products from their diet. For a breastfeeding infant, the mother will need to switch from dairy products until the child is weaned. Soy-based products provide the best alternative but it is important to check labels before purchasing these because many soy products have small amounts of dairy ingredients in them. Other dairy alternatives include rice, oat, and nut milk.

Do not substitute other animal milks for cow's milk. These will contain similar proteins so it is likely that someone with a cow's milk allergy will also be allergic to these. Lactose-free milks are also unsuitable because they still contain the proteins that set off an allergic reaction.

Cow's Milk Allergies - Common Symptoms

Infant Allergies