Milk Allergy: A Guide for Teens

Milk Allergy:

A Guide for Teens

Many people may think they are allergic to milk, but in reality, only 1-3% of infants are born with milk allergy and most outgrow it by the time they are adolescents. Milk allergy is also sometimes confused with lactose intolerance, which is much more common, but very different than milk allergy.

What is milk allergy?

A person has a milk allergy when their body's immune system responds to one or more of the proteins found in cow's milk. Casein and whey are the most common milk-proteins that lead to milk allergy.

What are some of the symptoms caused by milk allergy?

A milk allergy can cause skin reactions such as swelling of the lips, mouth, tongue, face, or throat. It can also cause hives, a rash or redness, and itchy skin or eyes. Respiratory problems such as sneezing, nasal congestion or runny nose, coughing or wheezing, and asthma can also result from milk allergy.

Can any of these symptoms be dangerous?

The most serious reaction to milk allergy is called anaphylaxis (an-uh-fa-lak-sis). Anaphylaxis happens suddenly and involves dangerous changes to your breathing, heart rate, and other body functions. Anaphylaxis also occurs when several different symptoms occur together, such as getting a rash and wheezing, or stomach pain and swelling of the throat. Anaphylaxis usually happens within seconds to minutes of exposure to an allergen and is life-threatening without emergency medical treatment.

If you or someone you know experiences anaphylaxis after coming into contact with a peanut product, use the EpiPen® injector and call 911 right away! Because anaphylaxis to peanuts is unpredictable and potentially life-threatening, you must always carry your EpiPen® with you.

Is milk allergy the same as lactose intolerance?

No, milk allergy is different from lactose intolerance. Milk allergy is an allergic reaction to milk proteins, and lactose intolerance is the inability to digest the lactose sugar found in milk. The symptoms of lactose intolerance are usually diarrhea, cramping, and gas.

Who has milk allergy?

Milk allergy can affect people of all races and ethnic groups. Most people develop milk allergy when they are infants and outgrow their allergy as they get older. A small number of people do not outgrow milk allergy and remain allergic to milk as adults. Milk allergy does not usually develop later in life.

How can I tell if I am allergic to milk?

Your health care provider can help you figure out if you have milk allergy, or if your symptoms are from lactose intolerance. Finding out if you are truly allergic to a certain food can be hard. To make this task easier for you and your health care provider, it is a good idea to keep track of the following:

What are your symptoms after eating or drinking foods that contain milk?
How long does it take for you to get symptoms?
Do you get symptoms every time you have a milk-containing food?
Do any of your relatives have a food allergy?

What can I do if I have milk allergy?

Plan ahead. Think about what you would do if you accidentally ate or drank a food that contained milk. Your health care provider can prescribe a drug called epinephrine that can stop the symptoms of an anaphylactic reaction and give you time to get to the hospital. You may have heard of an Epipen® which is the most commonly prescribed form of epinephrine. If you have severe reactions to milk, it is important for you to always carry an Epipen® or another form of epinephrine in case of emergency.

You should ask your health care provider when and how to use your Epipen® and what you should do after you use it. Most of the time, you should call 911 and be seen in a hospital emergency room for observation to make sure that your reaction has stopped.

What else should I do if I am allergic to milk?

Talk to a nutritionist. A nutritionist can help you figure out which foods might have milk in them. They can also help you find milk-free substitutes such as calcium, vitamin D, and protein rich replacements.
Be careful when you eat out. Tell your server that you are allergic to milk and always ask about the ingredients in a menu item before you order it.
Bring your own food. If you are going to be a guest at someone's house, bring your own food just in case you can't eat what the host prepares because it contains milk.
Read food labels and stay up-to-date with food products. Every now and then food manufactures change their labels. Even if you eat a certain product all of the time, remember that the ingredients can change.
Avoid product labels that have the letter D in bold type. The D stands for dairy.
Purchase deli meats with caution. Cross-contamination can occur when meats are sliced on the same equipment used to slice cheese. Deli meats in prepackaged products can also contain milk proteins in the brines that surround the meat. Most food manufacturers list a 1-800 number on the back of their products that you can call to find more information.
Check out the Nutrition Facts label. It is a requirement that the Nutrition Facts label on all packaged foods must list if a food contains a common allergen such as milk. You can also double check that a food is safe by reviewing the ingredient list on the food label.
Avoid the following milk-containing foods and ingredients:

Artificial butter flavor
Butter, butter fat, buttermilk
Casein - milk protein
Caseinates (ammonium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium)
Cheese, cottage cheese, curds
Cream
Custard, pudding
Ghee - clarified butter
Half and Half®
Hydrolysates (casein, milk protein, protein, whey, whey protein)
Lactoglobulin

Lactose - sugar in milk
Milk (derivative, protein, solids, malted, condensed, evaporated, dry, whole, low fat, non fat, skim, and Lactaid^TM Milk)
Non dairy creamer (check for casein)
Nougat
Rennet - used to curdle milk (may contain whey)
Sour cream
Sour cream solids
Whey - milk protein (delactosed, demineralized, protein concentrate)
Yogurt

Be careful when choosing the following foods or ingredients because they may contain milk:

Brown sugar flavoring
Caramel flavoring
Chocolate
High protein flour (protein source could be skim milk powder)

Lactic acid starter culture
Margarine (may contain whey)
Natural flavoring
Simplesse® (could be made from eggs or milk protein)

Don't worry about eating foods with the following ingredients. They do not contain milk:

Calcium lactate
Calcium stearoyl lactylate
Cocoa butter
Cream of tartar

Lactic acid
Oleoresin
Sodium lactate
Sodium stearoyl lactylate

If you are allergic to milk, try not to get discouraged. Your health care provider can give you a prescription for epinephrine in case you do have an allergic reaction. As you learn more about your milk allergy, you will know what foods to avoid and will be able to choose a variety of new foods to keep you healthy.

Written by the Center for Young Women's Health Staff

Updated: 1/27/2009

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