Living with a milk allergy will cause some inconvenience. However, in today's marketplace, there are many substitutes available that allow the sufferer to eat healthy and enjoy food. Being aware of information concerning diagnosis, treatment and label-reading makes daily living easier.
What is a Milk Allergy?
An allergy to dairy products involves the immune system reacting to the milk proteins. The reaction will occur within minutes or hours after the food trigger is consumed. It should be noted that milk allergy is not lactose intolerance, which is the inability to digest the sugars in dairy products.
A milk allergy is most likely to occur in early childhood. A high percentage of children outgrow this type of allergy during the childhood years.
Milk Allergy Symptoms
The symptoms of an allergic reaction to dairy products can include hives, rash, swelling, itching, vomiting, cramps, diarrhea, trouble breathing, drop in blood pressure or loss of consciousness. The symptoms can be mild or severe. In the case of severe symptoms, medical attention should be sought immediately.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Milk Allergy
A medical expert will likely use a complete history, physical examination, as well as blood test or skin prick test to determine if there is a milk allergy.
The only treatment for a milk allergy is to avoid offending foods and additives completely. The allergic individual can get a prescription for self-injectable epinephrine to use in case of an anaphylactic attack.
Avoiding Dairy Products
Fortunately, milk is a fairly easy food to avoid in baking and cooking. The liquid required in recipes can be replaced with water or juice. Soy milk, rice milk and other dairy free products can be used as substitutes for milk in recipes. These products are also good for adding to cereals.
Even getting enough calcium does not need to become an issue because many dairy substitutes and other foods are enriched with this mineral. The doctor or pharmacist can also recommend a good calcium supplement if one is needed.
One of the trickiest areas when dealing with a food allergy is reading labels. Because milk is one of the top food allergens, it is listed as an ingredient on labels. However, there are some common terms that indicate that milk or milk protein is present. These common terms include:
- Artificial butter flavor
- Butter
- Butter fat
- Butter oil
- Buttermilk
- Caseinates (ammonium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium)
- Cheese
- Cottage cheese
- Curds
- Cream
- Custard or pudding
- Ghee (clarified butter used in Indian cooking)
- Half and half
- Hydrolysates (casein, milk protein, protein, whey, whey protein)
- Lactalbumin
- Lactalbumin phosphate
- Lactoglobulin
- Milk (derivative, protein, solids, malted, condensed, evaporated, dry, whole, low-fat, non-fat, skim)
- Nisin
- Nougat
- Pudding
- Rennet casein
- Sour cream
- Sour cream solids
- Sour milk solids
- Whey (delactosed, demineralized, protein, concentrate)
- Yogurt
It is extremely important to be careful with processed foods and restaurant meals. When in doubt, the consumer should ask questions or choose something else that is known to be safe.
Other types of milk, such as goat’s milk, should be approached with caution. They are similar to cow’s milk and can also cause an allergic reaction.
A milk allergy can be determined by a medical expert and appropriate actions discussed in depth. Reading labels and researching alternatives will allow the sufferer to bake, cook and eat in a healthy and enjoyable manner.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for information purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical attention and supervision.
Sources:
Hospital for Sick Children: The Complete Kid’s Allergy and Asthma Guide: The Parent’s Handbook for Children of All Ages. Ed. Dr. Milton Gold. Toronto, Canada: Robert Rose Inc., 2003.
Website: The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, 2009. Visited June 13, 2009.
Ehrlich, Paul M. Teen’s Guides: Living with Allergies. New York: Checkmark Books, 2009.
For other articles related to food allergies see Chicken with Rice to Avoid an Allergic Reaction, Allergic or Sensitivity Reactions to MSG and Simple Gluten-free Slow Cooker Recipes.
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