Food Allergy to Milk: What It Is and How to Deal with It

Food allergy can also derive from milk. Milk allergy is also quite famous in the allergy category. Many people around the world have allergy toward this one. This can be found in kids and sometimes in adults.

What Is the Cause of Milk Allergy?

Basically, food allergy is caused by the malfunction in the immune system. Milk, in this case, is detected as harmful thing by the body. Then, the body responds by producing antibodies named Immunoglobulin to attack the allergen. Once it is known as something harmful, the body will continue doing the same. Later, it will give some symptoms that will be described below. In the milk itself, especially cow milk, there are casein and whey. These two are the common allergens in cow milk. People can be allergenic to one or both proteins.

What are the Symptoms of Milk Allergy?

This food allergy has several symptoms. It is the upset stomach, hives, and vomiting. These three are the common signs that can be observed. Meanwhile, in infants, the symptoms are also accompanied by loose stools. In the stools, mother can see that sometimes there can be blood. In the longer term after consuming the milk, there will be runny and stuffed nose, cramps, diarrhea, colic, watery eyes, and skin rash. In severe cases, the allergic people or baby can suffer from anaphylaxis. This one is very life threatening. In taking care of people that have anaphylaxis, there should be adrenaline shot.

How Do I Know If Milk Allergy Is Suffered by Me or My Children?

You have to go to an allergist or doctor if you want to do thorough check regarding milk allergy. There, the doctor or allergist will do a test, including skin prick test and blood tests. In easier way, you can test consuming a small amount of milk. It can be done to your children too. The doctor or allergist can do this too in the hospital. Of course, it is safer there because it is under medical supervision. The doctor will observe the reactions given by the body after you or your children eat milk-containing food or drink milk. However, the safest way is doing the blood test. This one can be done without testing the milk to your skin or to your body.

How Is the Treatment for Milk Allergy?

Once you have known that you or your babies are allergic toward milk, you have to directly remove it from your and your baby’s diet. This is done to avoid further effect, including anaphylaxis. You have to avoid eating cow milk and foods that contain milk. In the market, you will realize too that there are manufacturers that produce their foods in the same facility that processes milk. It is quite difficult to avoid all kinds of milk since you can easily find many foods with this content. When you are buying canned foods, make sure you check the table of ingredients first. Make sure it doesn’t contain whey, casein, or milk-related protein.

Well, your baby still needs milk, though. Thus, you can change the cow milk with goat milk or soybean milk. The safer once is the soybean milk since it is from plants. You will find too that soybean milk is good for the baby’s health. Even, it is also recommended for you to drink the soybean milk. Consult the consumption of the milk to the doctor. Thus, you can reduce the food allergy.