If you give cow's milk to your baby and then he has redness or itching, he may have an allergy to cow's milk. Allergies that arise after consuming cow's milk are indeed rare, only 2 to 7 percent of babies occur. This happens because the baby's immune system reacts with proteins in cow's milk. Most babies who experience cow's milk allergy, usually can overcome this after they pass the age of 4 years, and only a few have allergies to adulthood.
Is cow's milk allergy the same as lactose intolerance?
Unlike lactose intolerance that does not involve the immune system, cow milk allergy actually occurs due to the reaction of the child's immune system with proteins contained in cow's milk. The type of protein that most often causes allergies is whey and casein. Babies who have allergies can be allergic to one or both of these proteins. Reactions that appear usually occur within minutes or hours after consuming milk. Children can be allergic to any milk, because in various milk there is protein in it, but the most common is allergies caused by cow's milk.
What happens to my child if he has cow's milk allergy?
Symptoms and signs that appear can occur in several levels of severity, depending on each child. But usually the symptoms that appear immediately after the child drinks milk is vomiting, issued a sound "ngik", itching arises accompanied by swelling and redness. While the following are symptoms and signs that may appear several hours after the child consumes milk, namely:
- Diarrhea and may contain blood
- Diarrhea
- Cramps in the stomach
- Cough
- Flu
- Watery eyes
- The skin becomes a rash and itching, often occurring in the area around the mouth
- Colic or abdominal pain
If the symptoms appear very severe, then the child can experience anaphylaxis, namely the condition in which the child is difficult to breathe due to an allergic response that occurs clogging and blocking the respiratory tract. Anaphylaxis is a very serious event and special treatment is needed, such as injecting epinephrine into the child.
Generally, allergies will only occur until a 4 year old child. But if the symptoms still appear when the child is more than 4 years old, maybe the allergy will occur until he gets older. But after that usually allergic symptoms will disappear by itself. Very rarely found in cow's milk allergy in adults. Even so, children who used to have milk allergies, have a risk of experiencing allergies to other things, can even cause asthma when they grow up.
Why can a child be allergic to milk?
As explained earlier, allergies occur due to reactions to the immune system. When babies eat milk that causes allergies, their immune systems will mark or respond to proteins that enter the body as harmful substances. The body will immediately produce immunoglobulin E (IgE), which is an antibody that functions to deal with allergies that occur in the body. When a baby consumes milk several times, then IgE already recognizes a protein that is considered dangerous so that it signals the body to excrete histamine and various other chemicals that can cause itching, redness on the skin, and various symptoms mentioned earlier.
Is my child at risk of having cow's milk allergy?
Some risk factors that can increase the risk of the occurrence of milk allergies in children, namely:
- Allergy to other things. Many children who are allergic to milk are also allergic to other substances or objects. However, usually milk allergy that causes allergies to other substances appears.
- Atopic eczema, which is a chronic or chronic skin disorder, in the form of itching and redness in various parts of the body. Children who have atopic dermatitis have a greater chance of having food allergies, including milk.
- Family history. Children who have family members who have a history of allergies to a type of food, have a greater chance of allergic to milk
- Age. Allergy to milk often occurs in children. Along with its growth, the child's digestive system will develop and mature, so that in the end they can adapt to proteins in milk.
Will allergies to milk cause complications in children's health?
Children who have allergies to milk have the opportunity to experience some health problems, such as:
- Allergy to other types of food, such as eggs, soybeans, beans, or even meat.
- Hay fever or allergies to pollen and dust, just like other allergies, this allergy occurs due to a disruption to the child's immune system.