First, we will differentiate it with respect to the condition of intolerance, which instead concerns lactose.
We will then present the possible symptoms and complications of exposure to the antigen, as well as the risk factors and treatment, with specific reference to special milks for allergy sufferers.
it is the most widespread food awareness in the first years of life (2-3% of children); it tends to resolve with the maturation of the digestive tract during growth and remains in the adult only in 0.5% of cases.From the second childhood onwards, however, the most common allergens are fish, crustaceans, peanuts and nuts.
This allergic form has nothing to do with milk intolerance, especially common in adulthood and the elderly.
People who suffer from milk allergy develop antibodies against some of its proteins; for this reason, after an "initial asymptomatic exposure, ingesting even very small quantities of this food or its derivatives is sufficient to trigger a potentially serious allergic reaction.
It is curious to note that, thanks to digestion, dietary proteins undergo a modification already at the gastric level (by denaturation). Only in the intestine, however, are they totally demolished by the enzymatic action of the pancreas and the brush border.
We know that allergies are not all the same; they exist of different severity and it seems that this is correlated - in addition to the type of immune mediation - also to the length of the peptide sequences recognized as antigens. The shorter these sequences (low molecular weight), the higher the sensitivity.
L "lactose intolerance, on the other hand, is a disorder due to the deficiency of an enzyme, lactase, necessary to digest the sugar typical of milk and dairy products; the severity of symptoms is dose-dependent and there is no involvement of the immune system .
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It should be noted that children allergic to cow's milk are more likely to develop other allergic forms, such as that to eggs, soy and peanuts or hay fever (a form of allergic rhinitis triggered by contact with pollen from grasses, hairs pets or other substances).
Early symptoms
Less severe: digestive problems, vomiting, hives and difficulty breathing (dyspnoea).
Late symptoms
Diarrhea, abdominal colic, blood in the stool, itchy rash (often localized around the mouth), cough and excessive tearing.
What is anaphylaxis?
Anaphylaxis, or anaphylactic reaction, is a very dangerous condition that requires prompt medical attention.
Considered the most serious allergic complication, it is characterized by acute symptoms - such as breathing difficulties, intense itching, redness in the face and pressure drop until collapse - which arise early after contact with the allergen (in this case following the intake of milk's proteins).
Symptoms of lactose intolerance
The symptoms of lactose intolerance appear a few hours after consuming milk or other foods rich in lactose, are localized in the digestive system and typically include intestinal swelling, flatulence and diarrhea.
They can also be atypical, affecting areas not related to digestion. If ignored, it can lead to malnutrition and growth failure in infants and children.
atopic, artificial breastfeeding (with rare exceptions, there are no cases of allergy to breast milk) and age (the incidence tends to regress already in the second childhood, with the maturation of the digestive system).
Treatment of milk allergy
Given the widespread presence of milk and its proteins in commonly used food products, allergic manifestations are quite frequent.
Milder ones can be attenuated by oral therapy based on antihistamines, while in the presence of anaphylaxis an injection of adrenaline may be necessary.
As with all other forms of sensitization, the allergic reaction can only be prevented by avoiding contact with the allergen; consequently it is necessary to exclude any source of milk and its derivatives from the diet.
In case of familiarity, extreme caution is advised in introducing milk other than maternal milk into the baby. In this sense, breastfeeding until weaning is considered a protective agent against allergic complications.
In the nutrition of the allergic infant it is possible to make use of special milks, which we will discuss in the next paragraph.
For further information: Medicines for the treatment of milk allergy in infants specific hypoallergenic formulations have been studied.These formulas are produced using fairly complex technologies (enzymatic reactions, filtration techniques, high pressures and heat) with the aim of hydrolyzing ("breaking") the milk proteins (see special milks).
The protein fragments thus obtained can have a more or less high molecular weight and, as such, are indicated in the diet of newborns with allergic forms of varying severity.
The milk of other animals, such as goat, sheep or buffalo milk, cannot be taken by those suffering from cow's milk allergy, due to a phenomenon called cross-reactivity (these milks contain proteins with amino acid sequences similar to those of milk vaccine).
This characteristic, on the other hand, seems absent in donkey and mare's milk, which however require further studies - both clinical and technological - before being used in the feeding of subjects allergic to cow's milk.
An "alternative to animal milks is represented by those based on more or less hydrolyzed vegetable proteins, such as soy milk, but enriched in deficient nutrients (riboflavin, calcium).
The latter, however, can in turn become an allergen (in 10-15% of cases, among those allergic to milk proteins). For this reason, some babies allergic to milk are fed with products based on hydrolyzed rice proteins. .
If the child suffers from cow's milk allergy, it is sometimes necessary to remove the food and its derivatives even from the nurse's diet.
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