Anaphylaxis Is a Life-Threatening Reaction
Milk allergies can cause a severe reaction called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis can begin with some of the same symptoms as a less severe reaction, but then can quickly get worse. The person may have trouble breathing or pass out. More than one part of the body might be involved. If it isn't treated, anaphylaxis can be life threatening.
Every second counts in an allergic reaction. If your child starts having serious allergic symptoms, like swelling of the mouth or throat or difficulty breathing, give the epinephrine auto-injector right away. Also give the epinephrine auto-injector right away if your child's symptoms involve two different parts of the body, like hives with vomiting. Then call 911 or take your child to the emergency room. Your child needs to be under medical supervision because even if the worst seems to have passed, a second wave of serious symptoms can happen.
Keep Allergy Medications Handy
Notify your child's school if your child has a severe milk allergy. You should agree upon a plan in case of a serious reaction and two epinephrine auto-injectors must be available at all times. If your child is old enough to carry the epinephrine, it should not be in a locker, but in a purse or backpack that's with your child at all times.
Your child's allergy plan also could include giving an over-the-counter antihistamine for milder allergy symptoms. But the antihistamine should be given after the epinephrine in the case of a serious, life-threatening reaction.
Milk Allergy Safety Tips
To prevent allergic reactions to milk, your child must avoid any foods that contain milk, milk products, or milk proteins. Read food labels to see if a food contains milk.
Milk may be found in unexpected places, such as processed meats, canned tuna, and baked goods, so it's important to read labels on all foods, even ones that are not dairy foods. Words like casein, whey, and lacto- mean the product contains milk. For detailed information about foods to avoid, visit Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE).
Even if a food is labeled "milk-free" or "nondairy," it could still contain allergy-causing milk proteins. Manufacturers of foods sold in the United States must state in understandable language whether foods contain any of the top eight most common allergens, including milk. The label should list "milk" in the ingredient list or say "Contains milk" after the list.
Some foods look OK from the ingredient list, but while being made they can come in contact with a food your child is allergic to. This is called cross-contamination. Look for advisory statements such as "May contain milk," "Processed in a facility that also processes milk," or "Manufactured on equipment also used for milk." These are cross-contamination warnings, but manufacturers are not required to list them.
Since products without precautionary statements also might be cross-contaminated and the company simply chose not to label for it, it is always best to contact the company to see if the product could contain milk. You might be able to get this information from the company's website or by emailing a company representative.
Food makers sometimes change ingredients, so ingredients in a new package may be different from ingredients in an older package. So, labels should be checked every time.