Milk is a necessary product for babies, however, more and more often they cannot consume it due to allergies. Because of it, rashes, indigestion and other symptoms appear. The reason for the spread of this problem in our time is either the mother's diet, which contains a lot of allergens, or artificial feeding, most often with cow's milk. There is almost no such reaction to breast milk, but now not many parents can afford it. But an allergy to milk in a child is not a reason to refuse it and deprive the baby of the necessary substances. . It is important to know how to adjust the diet, and what to do to get rid of allergies.
Milk is one of the strongest allergens, so it is not surprising that it often causes allergies in children, because their body has not yet fully formed. The necessary enzymes are missing, as a result, the protein chain is not completely destroyed. The immune system reacts to these complex substances as if they were foreign.
There are two types of allergies:
Important! Milk allergy is sometimes mistaken for lactose intolerance. However, the latter manifests itself in the fact that the enzyme, under the influence of which the breakdown of milk sugar occurs, is not produced at all or it is too small. Because of this, the use of any milk is impossible.
Of course, it is not easy to deal with this on your own. The recommendation of a pediatrician is highly desirable.
But still, some accompanying symptoms may suggest that the child is allergic to milk, and nothing else:
Symptoms may occur alone or in combination with each other. With some of them (especially with Quincke's edema), there is a risk to life.
The first two years of life is the period when the formation of the digestive system takes place. This process is characterized by an increased risk of allergy to dairy products.
Most often, milk allergy occurs in children under 1 year old, its causes can be:
If all the necessary measures are taken, then, as the experience of mothers shows, usually by the age of five the allergy disappears completely. But in some cases this does not happen, and then you have to follow an appropriate diet for life. If you do not follow a diet, then it is possible to develop an allergy to other foods.
Most often, a child develops an allergy to cow's milk. It contains many proteins that can cause an allergic reaction. It is primarily casein. It does not break down under high temperature.
Important! Much less of these substances are found in sheep's and goat's milk. The latter is even considered hypoallergenic and recommended for children.
But a child can also become allergic to goat's milk, and besides, the specific taste and smell make it difficult to feed. According to the recommendations of pediatricians, it is better to listen to the child himself. If the baby refuses goat milk, then perhaps his body considers such a product a potential allergen.
Here's what you can replace cow's milk with allergies in a child:
These products are made using herbal ingredients. They diversify the diet and provide the child with many useful substances.
If you are allergic to milk, products that contain casein protein are excluded. Instead, you can give special adapted mixtures. There are those in which the protein is already split partially or completely, because it is absorbed better and does not cause allergies in children to milk protein. Mixes made with goat's milk or soy are also suitable.
In addition to dairy products, which are allergic, it is necessary to exclude from the diet:
Fermented milk products almost do not cause allergies and disorders of the digestive system. You can enter in the menu kefir, yogurt, made on the basis of cow's or goat's milk. Due to the way they are made, the protein is also broken down into simple amino acids, which are easier for the baby to digest.
Attention! Despite all the restrictions, the menu for a child with an allergy to milk should still be complete.
Based on the characteristics of the diet, here is what you can feed your child if he has an allergy (we offer menu options for three days):
First day:
breakfast
– rice porrige(on the water);
dinner- meat with a side dish (pasta, potatoes, porridge);
dinner- fish with vegetable garnish.
Second day:
breakfast
– oatmeal, you can fruit juice;
dinner- baked potatoes, steamed cutlets;
dinner- pancakes from zucchini.
Third day:
breakfast- rice flour pancakes;
dinner- puree soup.
dinner- mashed potatoes.
In addition to the main meals, you can and should arrange snacks with fruits, dairy products. It is better if the child eats little by little so as not to burden the digestive system.
It is very difficult to completely recover from allergies, the risk of its occurrence still remains. However, the developing body of a child is very mobile, and therefore, by the age of five, in most cases, allergies go away on their own. The child, as it were, "outgrows" it. Until this time, it is necessary to remove the allergen from the diet.
To remove allergens from the blood, you also need take sorbents .
Attention! In the case of a milk allergy in a child, it is important that the mother also follows a diet that excludes dairy products.
If even after these measures, the allergy continues, then you can transfer the child to a special hypoallergenic artificial nutrition . After a year, you can also give fermented milk products, they cause allergies much less often.
Six months after you have introduced a similar diet and started treating the baby, you can try to give dairy products little by little, in the absence of symptoms, gradually increase the amount, bringing it up to normal nutrition. If, nevertheless, an allergic reaction to milk appears, then again exclude the allergens. Postpone the next attempt for another six months.
Scientists' data show that by the age of 3, 80–90% of children no longer suffer from allergies.
It is possible to treat allergies with homeopathy, but the experience of mothers shows that the results can be different and not always positive. The main thing is to find a specialist who will select the appropriate treatment, taking into account all the individual characteristics of the child..
Allergy is often manifested by skin rashes, itching, irritation and dryness of the skin. Therefore, it is very important to moisturize the skin. There is a myth that children should not be bathed during an allergy exacerbation, but in fact, bathing is necessary.
Since in most cases there is an upset of the digestive system, and there is also a need to remove toxins and allergens, enterosorbents and agents that restore the intestinal microflora will help.
As for the skin, they heal well ointments and creams based on dexpanthenol , moisturizing creams, peach, almond oils.
Considering how milk allergy manifests itself in children, many experts, along with drug treatment, recommend the use of traditional medicine recipes, together they will give a greater effect.
So, first of all, decoctions of various herbs are used:
In addition to herbs, suitable for baths oatmeal . Use all these drugs with caution, be sure to consult your doctor.
One of the negative manifestations of the child's immunity is considered a negative reaction to mother's milk. Very young children are most often affected by such diseases. This is a severe disease that can cause children older than age one year, a particular allergy to the use of both cow's and goat's milk.
Appeals to the treating specialist in this regard began to grow. In 5% percent of babies, this disease can be noticed, since milk protein is considered a fairly common allergen in the human body.
It is necessary to distinguish between a specific allergy to cow protein, as well as its intolerance. In the first case, in the child's body this substance is perceived as a foreign element. For this reason, a kind of protection occurs, and in the second, the problem lies in the poor digestibility of dairy products by the child's digestive system. The reaction to protein in babies manifests itself in the form of a rash on the face and skin, as well as disorders in the respiratory and digestive systems.
Symptoms of the development of the disease on the skin:
As a digestive disorder, an allergy in babies to milk is released in the form of:
Respiratory child system able to react negatively to the effects of cow-type protein:
All the manifestations presented above appear immediately when the protein enters the body of babies and act both individually and in groups. A delayed reaction may be itching, diarrhea, skin rashes, which may occur only after a while.
Symptoms such as angioedema and rashes should be closely monitored, which can spread very quickly and unnoticed by the carrier and parents. Such condition negatively affects on the life of a child, therefore, with their development, it is imperative to go to an appointment with a treating specialist.
Another factor that can cause a child's parents to worry about health and life is the presence and distribution of barking cough, dry wheezing, and wheezing. In this case, a comprehensive examination of a specialist and an accurate diagnosis are also needed.
Allergy to dairy products in a child occurs at an early age, often before one year. With proper treatment and therapy, it can go away by five years, and only in certain cases remains throughout life.
Allergy to milk
If by this age the disease does not go away on its own, then the development of problems associated with a change in allergies into other more serious diseases, for example, into dangerous bronchial asthma, is possible.
Allergy to goat milk in children is quite rare. Her symptoms include:
The strange taste, as well as the smell that comes from goat's milk, causes rejection in most babies, so it is very difficult to feed the baby with food on this basis. Physicians say that child's body perceives this product as a real allergen, which is why you should not feed your baby products containing this protein if he absolutely does not want to. The reason for the development of an allergy to goat's milk in a baby is considered a hereditary factor, as well as a reduced activity of the baby's immunity.
A real and complete diagnosis of allergy from goat and cow milk can be carried out using a complex method. Clinical picture of the course of the disease is compiled by the attending specialist himself, after he has performed a full examination and diagnosis of the baby. With all this, increased attention is paid to the presence of a history of parents in such an allergy.
After a comprehensive diagnosis, in assessing the external signs of an allergic reaction, the presence of joint diseases (chronic diseases with the intestines, atopic dermatitis, anemia and other diseases), the doctor prescribes to the patient a large number of tests - blood, urine, prick test skin tests, which will positively affect the elimination of the cause of the disease. The main thing in this case is the patient's blood test, an allergy test, which will help identify immunoglobulin E to cow's milk protein.
Most often, milk allergy is detected using the exclusion method, when dairy products are temporarily excluded from the child's menu. If a after that, as the child begins to use dairy products again, the symptoms of the disease will again make themselves felt, then the test is considered positive, and will mean that the child's body has a certain allergy to milk and its protein.
The treatment process consists mainly in the use of special sorbents, which help remove allergens from the human body. They diverge throughout the body, causing allergy symptoms and reactions of any of the vital organs of a person. Treatment will most often depend on the area in which the negative reaction of the body develops.
Children older than a year often report experiencing short but regular pain in the umbilical region if they continue to be fed dairy products. Such children are often concerned about the feeling of discomfort in the intestine. Lack of the level of bifidobacteria can lead to the development of dysbacteriosis. Therapy of all problems with the gastrointestinal tract occurs with the use of probiotics. The attending specialist advises to stop using milk for some time or replace it in baby food with sour-milk type products.
During an allergy to dairy products, the respiratory organs are affected quite rarely. Allergic rhinitis may develop. Allergy is dangerous in that it is possible to develop laryngospasms, which most often indicate wheezing and labored breathing baby. A child can easily suffocate if not given immediate medical attention. It happens that an allergy can lead to bronchial asthma, the complex treatment of which can only be prescribed by a professional.
In any case, only a treating specialist should eliminate an allergy to cow's milk protein, self-medication in this situation is strictly prohibited.
And although most children have an allergy to dairy products on their own by the age of 3-5 years with the development of the immune system, as well as the enzymatic system, some of them must eat on a specific diet until all manifestations of the disease are gone. Only a doctor gives recommendations and advice on how to feed a baby and what needs to be removed from his diet.
Only a specialist can understand which allergen is present in the child's body, given its presence in food and the presence of cross-allergy. If a follow medical statistics, then it can be understood that children with an allergy to cow protein and other dairy products in 90% of cases have the same reaction to goat milk.
There are also vegetable varieties of milk - rice, soy, oatmeal, which can be easily replaced with milk of animal origin. Such a diet will make milk most useful and varied in components. If the baby is not allergic to goat's milk, then you can replace it with a simple cow's milk. You should water the baby or feed him with cereals that will be created on its basis.
Milk should also be added to tea for its highest quality assimilation in the body. Adhering to a certain diet costs about 1-2 years, during which the complete formation of the system is maintained, and the child simply grows out of this type of allergy.
An excellent substitute for any milk can be other fermented milk products that do not cause particular allergies. During mowing, the protein will break down into simple amino acids, which will be absorbed much better, and leave almost no allergens behind.
The baby can be freely given kefir, yogurt, which will be based on goat or cow's milk. Most often they don't have any problems with the gastrointestinal tract. The selection of the most suitable diet can improve the general condition of the baby and turn the outcome of the disease in a more positive direction.
The main concern during a dairy allergy is skin damage, especially when there is atopic dermatitis, during which all moisture is removed from the skin, it becomes dry, cracked, itchy, its protective properties begin to disappear. It is for this reason that it is necessary to create all conditions for proper skin care of the child.
There is an erroneous opinion that during an exacerbation of allergic processes it is forbidden to bathe a child. It's quite the opposite children need to arrange daily bathing to moisturize and also cleanse the skin. It is best to bathe a child in a bath, for at least twenty minutes, so that the stratum corneum of the skin can be fully saturated with water.
Water should be settled, warm, with a temperature of about 35 degrees Celsius. It is contraindicated to use washcloths, and after bathing process you can not wipe the body too much, only slightly get wet. For such affected children, it is best to buy specialized detergents that carry anti-inflammatory properties.
An important factor in the process of caring for the skin of a child is their full hydration. recovery impaired protective properties. The use of the latest products for the care of atopic skin of a child helps to replenish the effects of the epidermis.
Allergy to dairy products in a child can be caused by the presence of such factors:
The digestive organs in children are highly sensitive to various stimuli. Any kind, in addition to mother's milk, the baby's body is capable of perceiving it is very difficult.
In the intestinal system, babies still lack useful microflora, it is characterized by friability and unformedness. The gastrointestinal tract is capable of strengthening as early as 2 years old, at which point it begins to learn to resist harmful microorganisms.
The baby is more prone to negative reactions to milk protein when:
Summarizing the above, we can say that the influence of external factors significantly affects the baby's tendency to allergic reactions. In order for a child to be born healthy, all factors are important - suitable environmental conditions, a balanced diet for a pregnant woman, prerequisites at the genetic level, the presence of addictions in any family member, the age category of the expectant mother, gestation. An artificial child, if there are such anomalies, should receive mixtures where milk is absent or plant milk (oats, coconut, etc.) is used as a substitute.
Watch out for these warning signs: angioedema and rashes that are capable of rapid spread. Such conditions are risky for the life of the baby, so in such a situation, you should immediately seek help from a pediatrician or call an ambulance.
Another sign that should worry parents is a barking cough, dry wheezing and wheezing in the child. In such a situation, you also need to seek the help of specialists.
An allergic reaction to dairy products is usually formed in infants who have not reached the age of one. If the therapy is timely and properly carried out, the disease will disappear by about 5 years, but in rare cases this pathology can persist until the end of life.
In the case when by this time the intolerance to cow's milk protein in the baby does not go away, there is a possibility that it will be transformed into a different kind of illness, sometimes it even becomes bronchial asthma.
Allergy to infants is not as common as to cow protein. Consider how the reaction to this product manifests itself in children. In such a situation, the child experiences the following negative reactions:
characteristic taste qualities and the aroma that it possesses often provokes rejection in babies, feeding foods cooked on it is a rather difficult task. According to doctors, the body feels that this food is a potential irritant, so if the baby refuses such a product, you should not use it as complementary foods. The source of the formation of a negative response of the body, according to experts, lies in the genetic predisposition, weakened immunity of the baby.
Correctly diagnosing an allergy to dairy products is possible only through a comprehensive examination. The general picture of the disease is made by the pediatrician, after examining the baby. This takes into account the presence in the anamnestic data of the parents of such an ailment.
First, the information received is studied, external allergic symptoms are assessed, the presence of additional pathologies (intestinal pathologies occurring in a chronic form, atopic dermatitis, anemia) is determined.
Then the doctor sends the child for the delivery of biomaterial (urine, feces, blood, skin tests, prick test) for a laboratory study to exclude diseases similar in symptoms. The main role in such a situation is played by a blood test for sensitivity to allergens, thanks to which it is possible to determine the presence of immunoglobulin E relative to the protein contained in cow's milk.
As a rule, lactose allergy in infants is diagnosed by exclusion, that is, “milk” is removed from the baby’s diet for some time. In the case of recurrence of allergic manifestations after the second introduction of milk into food, the test is considered positive, which indicates the presence of an allergic reaction to lactose.
If a baby is allergic to cow's milk, some requirements must be met. Firstly, a nursing mother should follow a hypoallergenic diet and breastfeed her baby for as long as possible, since this substance contains everything that is required for the proper formation of the child.
Secondly, you should stop using dairy products and which contain milk protein in any form (ice cream, pastries, etc.). Besides:
According to the same principle, complementary foods should be introduced to the baby:
This is due to the fact that in the process of fermentation of milk, the protein undergoes cleavage into amino acids, which the body processes much more easily.
Many infant formulas contain milk protein. If a child has a tendency to be allergic to this substance, parents should know how to replace food. In this situation, it is better to feed the baby with mixtures that contain hydroisolated proteins or amino acids.
You can use mixtures in a similar situation, based on which, however, this must be done very carefully in order to notice the development of allergic manifestations in a timely manner. You can also use baby products containing as complementary foods, they can be introduced into the diet when the child reaches six months of age, but the main condition is the absence of an allergy to this product.
The main requirement for therapy is the exclusion of contact with an irritant. In this case, the signs usually go away on their own, while parents will only have to carefully consider their own and their baby's diet.
There are more radical methods - treatment with medications. There are some medical methods.
They help to reduce the synthesis of histamine, prevent the re-development of pathology, accelerate the destructive processes of histamine in the body.
To eliminate an allergic reaction that occurs acutely ( anaphylactic shock, damage to a significant surface of the skin) is prescribed reception:
If the allergy proceeds without consequences, it is recommended to use:
Taking these drugs is an indispensable condition in the treatment of allergies. They contribute to the excretion, prevent subsequent poisoning and deposition of toxins in the body, and contribute to the improvement of the intestinal microflora.
From this group of medicines, the following can be prescribed:
To get rid of skin manifestations of allergies, the use of creams and ointments is required.
Thanks to the active components of such drugs, it is possible to remove the inflammatory process, get rid of itching, prevent the formation of a reaction on the skin and soften it. Of these medicines for the treatment of children, you can use:
These drugs are also called corticosteroids. Their use is required with a strong reaction on the skin, or in the absence of the effect of non-hormonal drugs. They are characterized by powerful anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic and immunosuppressive effects.
Of these drugs, the doctor may prescribe treatment:
For children under 4 months of age, such drugs are strictly prohibited, although after that they should be used with caution.
In addition, the pediatrician may prescribe such medications to ease allergic manifestations:
Before you start using any of the listed drugs, be sure to consult with your doctor.
As a rule, a child's allergy to "milk" disappears at the age of 3-5 years, when immunity and enzyme synthesis are formed, but sometimes children must adhere to a diet until the signs of pathology are completely removed. Let's get acquainted with the recommendations of doctors regarding the diet of children with similar difficulties.
As a substitute for dairy products, you can use milk obtained from plants or oats. Thanks to such a diet, the child’s menu will become more diverse and useful. If there is no reaction of the body to goat milk, you can use it as a substitute for cow's milk for making cereals and drinking. Also, this product can be added to, so that it is better absorbed.
You need to follow a diet for about 1-2 years, while immunity is formed and the baby “outgrows” the allergy.
A good replacement for any milk is fermented milk products that do not provoke the development of an allergic reaction. When fermenting a protein, it breaks down into simple amino acids, which are much easier to digest, and almost no allergens remain.
Children can be fed with kefir, yogurt, which contain either cow's milk. These products, as a rule, do not provoke gastrointestinal upset. If you properly compose a diet, it is possible to improve the well-being of the child and speed up recovery.
Allergy to dairy products most often manifests itself on the skin. The skin of the child is covered with rashes, hyperemia, which are characteristic. The epidermis loses moisture, dryness, cracks and itching appear. Parents should do their best to protect the damaged epidermis of the baby and contribute to its rapid recovery.
Sometimes parents mistakenly think that bathing children during an exacerbation of allergies is prohibited, although it is an indispensable procedure, but subject to certain rules:
Milk allergies can also be treated with folk remedies. Let's get acquainted with the most effective.
If a skin reaction occurs against the background of an allergy, herbal decoctions and infusions can be added to the water while bathing. For this purpose, you can use plants that have anti-inflammatory and antipruritic effects.
Consider some of the most effective recipes:
With allergic manifestations on the skin, you can use aloe juice to treat severely inflamed areas.
You can also make soda lotions. For this:
For the treatment of infants, it is recommended to use dill water. It helps to get rid of problems with the digestive system. To prepare this remedy, pour 1/2 teaspoon of dill seed with boiling water and let stand. When the remedy has cooled, give it to the baby in the amount of 3-5 drops. Over time, a single dose should be increased to a spoonful.
Folk remedies for the treatment of a child should be used with caution. Decoctions based on some medicinal plants cannot be used for children under 3 years of age, as they can provoke the development of new health problems. This applies, for example, to the series.
There is a chance of complete disappearance of milk allergy in children during the first 3 years. The digestive system, enzymatic function, immunity - everything improves over time, thanks to which the body strengthens and acquires resistance to allergens. The baby's body gets the ability to independently break down sugar into glucose and galactose. Cow protein in a split form does not harm the child's body.
For the relative insufficiency of lactase, the disappearance in children in the process of growing up is characteristic. If the child is diagnosed with complete lactase deficiency, this disease will accompany him until the end of his life. To make up for the lack of calcium in such babies, parents should provide an alternative way for the body to acquire this substance.
If an allergy to milk is found, the best solution is to completely refuse the use of products containing milk protein. So you can protect yourself from the occurrence of allergic manifestations. In addition, when choosing any products, it is required to carefully get acquainted with their composition regarding the presence of irritants in them.
It is worth noting that even at the end of prolonged preventive antiallergic therapy with a negative reaction to "milk", contact with this product is prohibited. If the first contact did not provoke the development of negative manifestations, then further use may cause the immediate manifestation of allergy symptoms.
This phenomenon is due to the fact that during the first contact the body did not produce antibodies in the required volume, and after some time the immune system will certainly synthesize new cells, which, upon contact with an irritant, will provoke the development of negative symptoms.
As a preventive measure for the development of an allergic reaction to dairy products in infants, you need:
In the case when the baby still has the development of signs of this pathology, carefully monitor his condition, take timely measures to avoid complications in the form of various diseases internal systems or dermatological ailments.
One of the types of negative reactions of the immune system is an allergy to milk in a child. Young children are more susceptible to the disease. This is a serious disease that can cause allergies in children older than 1 year to the consumption of cow's and goat's milk.
Appeals to doctors about this have become more frequent. This disease is diagnosed in 5% of children, since milk protein is a fairly common food allergen.
It is necessary to distinguish between an allergy to cow protein and its intolerance. In the first case, the body sees it as a foreign element and begins to defend itself, and in the second case, the problem is the poor digestibility of dairy products. The reaction in children to cow's milk protein is manifested in skin rashes on the face, disorders of the digestive and respiratory systems.
Skin symptoms:
With regard to digestive disorders, an allergy to cow's milk in children is manifested by:
The respiratory tract responds to the effects of bovine protein:
All these reactions occur immediately when the protein enters the child's body and appear both individually and in combination. A delayed reaction may be diarrhea or itching of the skin, which will appear after a few days.
Attention should be paid to such alarming symptoms as Quincke's edema and a rash, which spreads rapidly. Such conditions are life threatening and require urgent medical attention.
Another factor that causes parents to fear for the health and life of the baby is the presence of a barking cough, dry wheezing, and wheezing. Need medical help.
An allergy to milk in a child manifests itself at an early age, often before the age of one. With proper treatment, it disappears by about 5 years, and only occasionally persists for life.
If the disease does not go away by this age, problems with the transition of allergies to other forms of the disease, especially dangerous ones, are not ruled out.
Allergy to goat milk in children is much less common. Its features include:
The specific taste and smell that goat's milk has causes rejection in many children; it is difficult to feed food based on it. Experts believe that the body feels that this product can become a potential allergen, so you should not feed your child with food containing such milk if he refuses. The cause of an allergy to goat's milk is considered a hereditary factor, a weak immune system of the child.
The correct diagnosis of allergy to cow's or goat's milk can only be carried out by a complex method. The clinical picture of the disease is compiled by a pediatrician after a visual examination of the child. Attention is drawn to the presence in the anamnesis of parents of such an allergy.
After a full study, in assessing the external manifestations of allergies, the presence of concomitant diseases (chronic intestinal problems, atopic dermatitis, anemia, etc.), the doctor prescribes a series of tests to the patient - urine, feces, blood, prick test skin tests that will help exclude similar diseases. Of particular importance is a blood test for allergy tests, which allows to detect immunoglobulin E to cow's milk protein.
Often, milk allergy is diagnosed by exclusion, when dairy products are temporarily removed from the child's menu. If, after the start of their use, the symptoms of this disease reappear, then the test is considered positive, indicating the presence of an allergy to milk protein.
The treatment consists primarily in the use of sorbents that remove allergens. They circulate throughout the body, causing an allergic reaction in any of the organs. Treatment depends on where the negative reaction occurs.
Children after a year often complain of short-term, but recurring pain in the navel area if they continue to be fed dairy products. Worried about bowel problems. The lack of bifidobacteria leads to. Treatment of all problems of the gastrointestinal tract is carried out with the help of probiotics. Doctors recommend temporarily replacing milk in the children's diet with fermented milk products.
With milk allergy, the respiratory organs are affected less frequently. An allergic rhinitis may appear. Dangerous development of laryngospasm, which is indicated by wheezing, shortness of breath. The child may suffocate if not given immediate medical attention. Sometimes allergies lead to bronchial asthma, the treatment of which will be prescribed by a specialist.
In any case, the reaction to cow's milk protein should be eliminated. professional doctors, self-medication is unacceptable.
Although in most children the allergy to dairy products disappears by the age of 3-5 years with the development of the immune and enzymatic systems, some have to follow a diet before all manifestations of the disease disappear. Recommendations on how to feed a sick child and what should be excluded from his diet are given by a specialist.
Only a doctor can determine the allergen, given its hidden presence in the composition of other products and the presence of cross-allergy. According to medical statistics, children with an allergy to cow protein and dairy products in 90% of cases have the same reaction to goat milk.
There are vegetable types of milk - soy, rice, oatmeal, which can replace milk from animals. Such a diet will make the children's menu more varied and useful. If there is no allergy to goat's milk, then you can replace the usual cow's milk with it, give your child water or feed it with cereals prepared on its basis.
Goat milk is also added to tea for better absorption. It is recommended to stick to a diet for about 1-2 years, during which the formation of the immune system takes place, and the child simply “outgrows” this type of allergy.
A good substitute for any milk can be fermented milk products that do not cause allergies. In the process of fermentation, the protein will break down into simple amino acids, which are much better digested, leaving virtually no allergens.
The child can be given kefir, yogurt, which can be based on cow or goat milk. They usually do not cause gastrointestinal upset. Choosing the right diet is guaranteed to improve the patient's condition and the outcome of the disease.
The main concern with milk allergy is skin damage, especially atopic dermatitis, in which moisture is lost in it, the skin becomes dry with microcracks, itching, and its protective properties are lost. That's why it's important to take proper care of your skin.
There is a misconception that children should not be bathed during an exacerbation of allergies. On the contrary, they require daily bathing to cleanse and moisturize the skin. It is better to bathe in a bath for at least 20 minutes, so that the stratum corneum of the skin has time to be saturated with water.
It should be settled, warm, about 35 ° C. You can not use washcloths, and after bathing, do not wipe the body strongly, just get it slightly wet. For such patients, special detergents with anti-inflammatory action should be purchased.
An important aspect of skin care is its moisturizing to restore damaged protective properties. The use of modern atopic skin care products helps to slightly compensate for the defects of the epidermis.
Under the guidance of a pediatrician, you can choose the most effective means, which will help suppress allergic inflammation. Skin treatment will require long periods of time, the attention of parents, the active help of doctors.
The main problem of allergies is the immaturity of the gastrointestinal tract, the weakness of the child's immune system. In most cases, the reaction is caused by cow's milk, occasionally - goat's, sheep's. The main cause of an allergy to milk is the presence of casein in it - a protein that settles in the form of a curd formation when milk coagulates. The immune system perceives casein as a foreign body, starting to produce antibodies, which leads to an allergy to the protein.
A direct connection between childhood milk allergy and a history of parental negative reaction to protein has also been established. If one of the parents had this kind of allergy in childhood, then the probability of a problem in a child will be 30%. Both parents with this disease increase the chance of a baby having an overreaction to milk by up to 80%.
But an allergy can be in a child with healthy parents. The disease is caused by malnutrition with weak immunity. A negative impact on the child's body can have a bad environment in the place where the child lives. Allergies are sometimes provoked by the presence of antibiotics in the milk of a pet.
An allergy to milk in a child is a negative reaction of the immune system. Pathology occurs in infancy. The disease is not treatable, and therapeutic measures are aimed at getting rid of the symptoms.
If symptoms of an allergy to milk appear, it is recommended to consult a doctor, otherwise the most unpleasant and serious consequences may occur.
Allergy to milk occurs for the following reasons:
Milk protein is a strong allergen that often causes allergies in children. The reaction appears already in infancy, when the mother, after the onset of lactation, gives the baby a breast. Rejection by the body of the booth does not always manifest itself as an allergy to milk. Milk protein intolerance is another reason for milk rejection.
Symptoms of an allergy to milk in a child on the epidermis:
Localization in this case can be completely different, on the limbs, on the body and face. Below you can see a photo of the most common symptoms of this disease.
Other signs of pathology not associated with the epidermis:
Symptoms may appear separately from each other or together. In any case, when the first signs appear, it is recommended to consult a specialist.
A dermatologist can diagnose an allergy to cow's milk protein. First, the doctor begins a survey of parents. If it turns out that dad or mom suffers from the same problem, then the specialist makes a note for himself. Next, the dermatologist examines the child and prescribes research. Only complex diagnostics helps to determine the presence or absence of pathology.
Milk allergy in children is determined using the following studies:
If a child has an allergy to milk, then only a doctor can prescribe treatment. Usually therapy is based on the intake of sorbents. Such funds free the body from allergens, due to which the baby's condition improves and the symptoms of the pathology disappear. Treatment is also prescribed depending on the area of manifestation of the disease.
Because of the pathology, the baby often has problems with the intestines. The child begins to pull the legs to the stomach due to pain in the abdomen. This indicates the occurrence of dysbacteriosis. Probiotics help to improve the intestinal microflora.
Parents also need to consult a specialist on how to replace milk with an allergy to milk protein so that there are no problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Doctors in such a situation are advised to introduce fermented milk products into the baby's diet.
Therapy of the epidermis depends on the nature of the lesion:
If the baby suffers from this pathology, then there are rarely problems with the respiratory organs. In the event that this did happen, then the baby develops allergic rhinitis and wheezing. It also becomes difficult for the child to breathe. Lack of timely assistance can cause suffocation, therefore, at the first sign of respiratory damage, it is recommended to call an ambulance.
What to feed a child with a milk allergy? There are special blends that will replace this product. Hypoallergenic nutritional formula can be replaced with fermented milk products. For kids, special products have been developed that are appropriate for their age - kefirs, yogurts and others. For a child older than 1 month, the daily dose is calculated by a specialist.
During the diet, cow's milk should be excluded from the diet. It can be replaced with goat's milk. For better absorption of the product, it is recommended not to give it in its pure form, but to add it to tea. If a child is also allergic to goat's milk, then it should be excluded.
You can not build a diet for babies in such a way that it does not contain dairy products. Animal milk can be replaced with vegetable milk - oat, soy, rice.
The use of dairy products is recommended to start after three to five years. By this time, the fermented and immune system matures in the child, and the body begins to perceive milk protein normally. There is no need to adhere to a special nutrition system for a child all his life.
During an exacerbation of food allergies in children to milk, it is important to provide the epidermis with special care:
Milk allergy is often confused with allergic reactions to other pathogens. The disease also has similar symptoms with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. This manifests itself in bloating, increased gas formation, nausea, which is often accompanied by vomiting, as well as problems with the stool. An allergy to milk is also confused with colds.
Each pathology is accompanied by cough and rhinitis. The disease is also confused with lactose intolerance. Only a dermatologist can correctly determine the disease after conducting appropriate studies. At the first symptoms of an allergy, it is recommended to consult a doctor.
It is necessary to distinguish between the concepts of milk allergy and lactose intolerance, since the pathology therapy depends on this.
Lactose deficiency is a congenital pathology of the digestive enzyme system. Therapy is not amenable to such a condition. The body of the child at the same time does not tolerate any kind of milk. Even a special diet for several years will not help change the situation. A person with lactose intolerance will have to give up the use of dairy products for the rest of their lives. There are no other dietary restrictions.
If lactose intolerance is observed, the symptoms will be pronounced. The baby has a violation of the stool, as well as increased gas formation and colic.
A special test helps to distinguish between allergy to milk and lactose intolerance. Its essence is the restriction of the use of dairy products, or rather, their exclusion from the child's diet. If after this the symptoms disappear, a milk allergy is diagnosed.
Any allergic reaction of the body needs therapy. Milk allergy is no exception. The lack of timely treatment threatens not only the health of the baby, but also his life. For this reason, at the first signs of pathology, it is recommended to show the child to the doctor for diagnosis and treatment.