Allergy Treatment

A milk allergy is an abnormal response of the body to the proteins found in cow’s milk. It is estimated that about 2,5% of babies and toddlers are affected by milk allergy, which is most frequent type of allergy in this child stage. Allergy to milk in adults is much less frequent. Cow milk contains 20 substances namely, that can cause allergic creaction. The two main components are whey and casein, which is the principal protein in cow’s milk, accounting for about 80% of the total milk proteins.

The most common symptoms of milk allergy are:

• excessive colic
• recurrent diarrhoea
• vomiting, abdominal pain
• excoriated buttocks
• rash, hives and eczema
• recurrent bronchitis
• recurrent wheezing, cough, nasal stuffiness or sinusitis
• ear infections
• fluid behind ears
• wet and wheezy chest
• coughing
• irritability
• failure to thrive

Medication is ineffective in treating milk allergy. Avoidance of milk and milk-containing foods is the only treatment. Initially if the infants are breastfed, the lactating mothers are given an elimination diet.

It is recommend to give babies who are allergic to cow’s milk special low-allergy or hypoallergenic milk, such as an amino-acid based formula.