What To Do When Your Child is Allergic or Intolerant To Cow Milk

It is common for parents to be concerned about their children’s nutrition with an allergy to cow’s milk since it is a source of calcium, vitamin D, and fat. These are important nutrients for growth and development, and to keep boons strong. However, many children thrive without consuming cow’s milk.

A milk allergy is an abnormal response of the body to the proteins found in cow’s milk. Milk allergy is most common among infants and young children. Milk and milk products are found in many foods. Obvious forms of milk are cream, cheese, butter, ice cream, and yogurt. Milk and milk products may also be hidden sources in commonly eaten foods. To avoid foods that contain milk products, it is advisable to read food labels.

Dairy allergies are some of the most common food allergies for babies and children. As we grow older, our production of enzyme lactase decreases, meaning we don’t process lactose and lactose-base dairy products as well as we used to. This happens to all of us as we age and is one of the top reasons why plant-based dieters oppose consuming dairy. But sometimes children stop producing lactase at an earlier rate, resulting in dairy intolerance and allergies.

Cows’ milk is one of the eight foods responsible for most food allergies in children. It is also a common ingredient in many goods. From stomach cramps to sickness and diarrhea, there are many similarities between milk intolerance and milk allergy symptoms. What is more, the names of these conditions are often used interchangeably and not always correctly. Knowing how to recognize them can help get a quicker diagnosis for your baby, and lead to an effective dietary management program, either through you own diet if you are breastfeeding.

If you are breastfeeding, consuming milk can pass allergenic proteins through your breast milk. If this is suspected, you many need to avoid milk products. In other cases, cow’s milk proteins are not passed through. Always consult your doctor or a dietitian before altering your diet while breastfeeding. Removing milk from your diet won’t be recommended unless absolutely necessary.

Allergies and Intolerance

Children can either be allergic or intolerant to milk. Because some of the symptoms of milk allergy and milk intolerance are similar, they can be difficult to diagnose. The truth is that people use these terms interchangeably, but in reality, they have different meanings. Allergies usually refer to full blown anaphylactic attacks. These are kinds of episodes that require immediate medical care and hospitalization. Symptoms of anaphylactic attack in children include but are not limited to:

• Hives or skin rash that starts around the mouth/face but can spread to the whole body
• Itchy skin or eczema
• Wheezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing
• Severe vomiting or diarrhea
• Swollen eyes, hands, and throat
• Colic, in babies

Dairy intolerance might not be as life-threatening as anaphylactic attacks, but they are just as painful and scary. Usually, symptoms begin with a few minutes to a few hours after your child consumes dairy and revolve around digestive issues. Diarrhea, constipation (or bouts of both), and changes in stool color or texture are some of the most common symptoms, but your child can also experience respiratory problems like coughing, sneezing, wheezing, and excess mucus production.

Steps to Figure Out if Your Child is Allergic or Intolerant to Milk

If your child doesn’t have life-threatening reactions when he or she consumes diary but still experiences uncomfortable symptoms, you need to figure out if dairy is the cause of his allergies or perhaps another food. Try these steps based on the Elimination Diet and see if symptoms improve.

• Eliminate dairy completely from your child’s diet for seven to ten days and see if the symptoms improve. Is he moving his bowels better? Does he have fewer runny noses and chronic coughs? If your child overall indicates better health and the symptoms you are concerned about subside, dairy could be the culprit.
• Gradually introduce dairy back into your child’s diet. As little as one to four ounces of cow’s milk will suffice. Note if any of your child’s old symptoms reoccur or if new symptoms develop. This could indicate you child has a dairy allergy.
• If your child does indeed have a dairy allergy, consider a dairy alternative like soy, almond, coconut, hemp, or oat milk. Rice milk is also one of the safest dairy alternatives for children with the lowest chance of allergy/intolerance and makes an exceptional substitute for infant and baby formulas. Also make sure your dairy alternative is fortified with calcium and vitamin D.
• Remember that often children with dairy allergies have other food allergies. You might eliminate dairy from your child’s diet only to find that he or she is actually allergic to wheat, nuts, shellfish, certain fruits or veggies, etc. Some children are even allergic to the skins of certain fruits and veggies. Use the same elimination method by abstaining for a set period of time, then gradually reintroduce and seeing if symptoms reemerge.
• Monitor your child’s allergies closely in the coming months, especially if they have multiple food allergies. Many children also outgrow allergies as they get older (age six and eleven are the prime ages for changes in allergies).
• Establish a good and open relationship with your child’s pediatrician about dairy allergies. Most doctors are willing to work with you and won’t be surprised to hear your kid has food allergies. Doctors also have several different tests you can’t perform at home that can help identify allergies and help you avoid them.

How to Care for Your Child Who is Allergic To Milk

1. Be cautious with what you give your child

If you are breastfeeding, try to avoid milk and dairy products. Examples are cheese, yogurt, and butter. If your child’s symptoms get better, continue to avoid these products. Then talk to your doctor about how to slowly add one product at a time back to your diet. If you are using formula, you can try a soy-based one. But some babies also have a reaction to soy. So you may need to try a hypoallergenic formula, such as Alimentum or Nutramigen.

When you begin to wean your baby from the breast or bottle, don’t give him cow’s milk right away. Talk to your doctor about the best way to start giving your baby cow’s milk. If your child continues to have symptoms, don’t give him milk or milk products. This includes ice cream and cheese.

2. Help Your Doctor Make a Diagnosis

Giving your doctor as much detail about your child’s symptoms as possible can help speed up the diagnosis process. By keeping a diary of his symptoms, including when they occur and how long they last for, you can help your doctor identify or rule out Cow Milk Allergy (CMA). Taking photos of any skin reactions, such as a rash, can be helpful too. You should also let your doctor know if there is a history of allergy in the family.

3. Read labels carefully

Learn other names for milk products. Look for words on the labels such as curds, whey, and casein. If your doctor prescribes medicine, have your child take it exactly as prescribed. Call your doctor or nurse call line if you think your child is having a problem with his or her medicine. Your doctor may prescribe a shot of epinephrine for you or your child to carry in case your child has a severe reaction. Learn how to give your child the shot, and keep it with you at all times. Make sure it has not expired. Talk to your child’s teachers and caregivers. Teach them what to do if your child has a severe reaction.

Conclusion

Before you worry too much about milk allergies and intolerance, it is worth remembering that babies and toddlers often pick up common bugs when they come into contact with other children, which can have similar unpleasant effects. But if your child’s symptoms persist or you notice a pattern occurring, you should seek advice from your doctor.

If your child has a dairy allergy, do not panic. There are a ton of alternatives out there that your son or daughter can still consume. As much as it has been ingrained in our culture to drink milk, especially during childhood, there are other options for getting enough calcium, vitamin D, and protein in your child’s diet.