How dangerous can milk protein allergy become?

A milk protein allergy can be dangerous, especially for babies, if it is not recognized. The babies then suffer from severe diarrhea again and again. Especially the massive loss of fluid is dangerous for babies and toddlers, as it quickly leads to dehydration (desiccosis).

It is therefore important that parents pay attention to signs of acute dehydration in children with diarrhoea. These are dry tongue, sunken eyes or a restless baby. In the vast majority of cases, however, an allergy to cow’s milk is not an acutely life-threatening clinical picture. In most cases, both the children and the parents tend to suffer from the chronic digestive disorders. This topic might also be of interest to you:

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Diagnosis

It is not easy to diagnose a milk protein allergy – especially since the symptoms are often so different. Mostly digestive problems are in the foreground, but severe neurodermitic rashes can also occur. Not all people affected show these symptoms immediately after eating, and some only develop them after several days.

However, it is typical for an allergy that the symptoms usually improve abruptly if the triggering agent is omitted. Therefore, those affected will be asked to refrain from dairy products for 14 days. For babies, a special formula food containing no milk protein can be prescribed for this period.

In addition, an allergy test can be performed in the blood or on the skin. However, it is important to know that a negative allergy test may still indicate an allergy to milk protein. Therefore, the decisive factor for the diagnosis is ultimately whether the symptoms are significantly improved, if not completely disappeared, by omitting the milk.

If the parents or siblings suffer from allergic diseases such as neurodermatitis, asthma or hay fever, the allergy risk of the affected child is significantly increased. Usually parents are also asked to keep a nutrition diary for the child concerned. A skin test, for example the prick test, is made in order to provide first indications in the direction of milk allergy.

This involves scratching the skin in a small area with a lancet and bringing the allergen into the skin. One observes whether a reaction in the form of red wheals develops. The prick test is usually painless.

This test can be done for many allergies, for example pollen or animal hair allergies. In addition, there are blood tests which, so to speak, are the next step in examining whether an immunologically mediated allergy to milk proteins is actually present. The RAST test (Radio-Allergo-Sorbent-Test) examines the presence of specific IgE antibodies in the blood of the child.

However, a positive test does not always indicate the presence of a clinically relevant allergy. The results of the blood test help above all to narrow down suspicious triggers of the allergy. Another test option is a milk-free elimination diet, in which the child completely forgoes milk in its diet. After a certain period of time, a provocation takes place, i.e. small amounts of milk are given to the child to observe whether an allergic reaction occurs to the milk intake. The milk-free outlet diet serves the pediatrician as a safe clarification of the allergy in case of suspected milk allergy based on the preliminary examinations.