|  | Conditions Treatments | Allergies

Signs & Symptoms of a Dairy Allergy in a Toddler

Dairy allergies are one of the most common allergies found in infants and toddlers. Fortunately, most children will outgrow dairy allergies by the time they reach age 5. Milk allergies may show up when an infant is still breastfeeding or drinking formula, but they may go unnoticed until whole milk is introduced, usually around the time of a child's first birthday. The signs and symptoms of a dairy allergy can range from very subtle to very extreme, depending of the severity.

  1. What Is a Food Allergy?

    • When someone has a food allergy, it means that his body has an immune system response to a food that is eaten. With an allergic reaction a chemical called histamine is released into the body, causing a variety of symptoms from mild to severe. Dairy allergies are often confused with lactose intolerance, which means the body has trouble digesting the sugars in milk, resulting in bloating and cramping. Lactose intolerance is not an allergic reaction, because it does not trigger an immune system response.

    Gastrointestinal Response

    • Dairy allergies in toddlers can cause gastrointestinal problems. Toddlers may have abdominal pain, profuse vomiting or severe diarrhea.

    Skin Reponse

    • A toddler with a dairy allergy may break out in hives, a red itchy rash, or experience swelling and redness around the mouth and face soon after ingesting dairy. To treat a mild reaction like hives, you can give your toddler an antihistamine such as Benadryl. Another skin condition associated with dairy allergies is eczema. Eczema is an itchy, scaly, red rash. If your toddler has chronic eczema, she could have an undiagnosed dairy or other food allergy. Removing dairy from your toddler's diet may help cause the eczema to clear up if a dairy allergy is the cause.

    Respiratory Symptoms

    • Respiratory signs of a dairy allergy in toddlers may be mild and include a runny, stuffy nose, itchy, watery eyes, and sneezing. Other signs may include constant throat clearing, coughing and wheezing or shortness of breath. Toddlers with dairy allergies may have an increased number of ear and sinus infections.

    Anaphylaxsis

    • In rare instances a toddler with dairy allergies may have a life-threatening reaction called anaphylactic shock. This severe reaction involves swelling of the throat, lips or mouth and a drop in blood pressure which results in difficulty in breathing and loss of consciousness. If this occurs, you should call 911 immediately. A toddler with a severe dairy allergy will most likely be prescribed an epinephrine pen that should be carried at all times in case of an emergency.

Allergies - Related Articles