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Milk Allergies
When Milk Doesn't Do A Body Good
By Donna Stone
"Sometimes parents may think their child has an allergy to milk, when in fact they are suffering from colic or other conditions," says Dr. Myers. "Allergy testing will reveal whether or not it is a true allergy to milk protein." An allergy to milk usually starts in infancy, although cow's milk allergy can develop at any time. This condition occurs in 2 to 8 percent of infants, with most outgrowing the allergy in a few years. By age 4 about 60 percent of allergic children will have outgrown their milk allergy, and by age 6 about 80 percent will no longer be milk allergic.
David has a moderate allergy to milk, not quite as severe as Mark's. "David had symptoms of milk allergy from birth, but I didn't recognize them," says his mother, Laura.His symptoms included spitting up large amounts, rash on his face, cradle cap, eczema, vomiting and diarrhea.
"When he was about 5 months old and I first gave him cereal mixed with formula, I noticed a rash around his mouth and he spit up the entire meal. I switched to a soy formula and the rash disappeared." Laura insisted on allergy testing when David was 2. He tested positive for milk allergy.
People often confuse lactose intolerance and milk allergy. Lactose is the sugar contained in milk and dairy products. "Lactose intolerance is the inability to break down lactose because of a decreased production of the enzyme lactase in the small intestine," explains Linda Dolanch Longhouse, author of Lactose Intolerance Made Tolerable: An Information Guide and Cookbook. "If a person is lactose intolerant (and ingests lactose-containing food), the undigested lactose moves from the small intestine into the large intestine where bacteria act upon it. The result is the much complained about symptoms of lactose intolerants: bloating, gas, cramping and diarrhea.
