Diagnosis
Babies affected by an allergy to cow’s milk often show typical allergic symptoms. These include above all digestive disorders such as diarrhoea, vomiting, colic or refusal to eat. In addition, skin complaints, respiratory problems or, in the worst case, a circulatory collapse, the anaphylactic shock, can occur.
The diagnosis of a cow’s milk allergy is made by the pediatrician after a detailed interview with the parents.You should observe your child’s diet and what symptoms occur, as well as mention whether allergic diseases or cow’s milk allergies have already occurred in the family. By means of various skin tests, such as the prick or subcutaneous test, the doctor can determine a skin reaction to the possible allergen. A blood test should also be performed to diagnose an allergic reaction.
There are different skin tests to diagnose an allergic disease, like the cow’s milk allergy in babies. The gentler the method, the safer it is for the person concerned, but it is also less accurate or even shows no reaction, even though an allergy exists. In the rubbing test, the possible allergen on the arm is rubbed over the skin.
In the prick test, the allergen is applied next to a substance that inevitably causes a reaction. Then the intensity of the body’s reaction to the allergen is compared. In the scratch test, the skin is scratched and the test solution is then applied. There is also the possibility of injecting the allergen into the skin with a syringe. The physician evaluates in each case whether certain skin symptoms have occurred after application of the allergen, such as redness, itching or wheals (small swellings of the skin).
Treatment
The most important measure in case of a diagnosed milk allergy in the baby is to completely avoid the trigger of the allergic reaction. This includes cow’s milk and cow’s milk products, but also milk from other animal species. Similar protein structures can also cause allergic symptoms.
Babies who are still being breastfed and do not eat any other food can also be affected by the cow’s milk allergy. Here allergens from the mother’s diet get into the mother’s milk. So here the mother should also eat cow’s milk free.
In acute allergic reactions, medication can be used, and antihistamines are used here. They weaken the allergic reaction of the body. Other drugs used in allergy therapy are mast cell stabilizers such as cromoglicic acid and glucocorticoids.
To treat a cow’s milk allergy in the long term, there is the possibility of hyposensitization. Milk in constantly rising doses is supplied to the person concerned with the hope that the body gets used to the allergen. Sometimes affected children show a sensitization after a few years without further measures and are symptom-free. Until then, a strict dietary restriction should be observed, which may have to be followed for life. Since milk contains other important nutrients besides calcium, vitamin B12 and proteins, these must be supplied in a milk-free diet through other foods or dietary supplements.
