Milk Allergy

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What is Milk Allergy?

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Food allergies can have effects at several different sites in the body, including the mouth, throat, lungs, skin and gastrointestinal tract. Often more than one site in the body is affected at the same time, and the reaction can be generalised, such as anaphylactic shock.

Who gets Milk Allergy?

In Australia, 1 in 50 infants develop an allergy to milk and other dairy products. About 80% of these children will grow out of this by age 3.

Predisposing Factors

As with most allergies, children with a family or personal history of allergic disease are more likely to develop dairy allergy.

Progression

In children with a milk allergy, symptoms such as the following may occur:

Within minutes of ingesting a small amount of milk, symptoms may include hives, eczema, face swelling, vomiting, diarrhoea, noisy breathing or wheeze. In severe reactions, infants may become floppy and develop anaphylaxis.
Several hours after ingesting a moderate amount of milk, symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhoea and possibly blotchy skin rashes or worsening of eczema.
Several days after ingesting normal amounts of milk, symptoms can include eczema, vomiting, diarrhoea and asthma.

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