MILK ALLERGY OVERVIEW

Milk Allergy is most common food allergy seen in childhood. Studies have reported that upto 2.5% of infants have an allergy to milk. Often they first are diagnosed in babies because of symptoms of severe eczema. These infants can be exposed to cow’s milk either through breast milk or through cow’s milk based formulas. Milk exposure can also cause hives or even life-threatening allergic reactions. Fortunately , most children will be able to outgrow their milk allergy early in childhood often by age 3-5 years. It is important to note that milk has a high level of cross-reactivity with goat or sheep milk in over 90% of cases. Therefore goat milk or sheep milk is not a good substitute for children who have a cow’s milk allergy.


There are also non-IgE milk allergies seen in children. This means that testing by either skin prick or blood test (eg. “RAST testing”) may not detect certain types of milk allergy. The most common is cow’s milk protein of infancy which can result in bloody stools. Another syndrome known as FPIES (food-protein induced enterocolitis syndrome) can be due to a non-IgE milk allergy. Classic FPIES includes symptoms of severe vomiting and dehydration that start a few hours after exposure to milk. If these milk allergies are suspected you should consult with your physician.

Treatment of milk allergy consists of education and avoidance of milk. If you or a family member is diagnosed with an milk allergy, it is important to know which foods to avoid, and know how to avoid hidden sources of milk. To help avoid accidental exposure, learning to how to read labels for an milk-free diet is an essential skill. You also should always be prepared to treat a milk allergy reaction.