Dr Costa: Private Children's Allergy Clinic
  • Home
  • About
    • Memberships
  • Services
    • Types of Allergy
    • Fees
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Contact

Allergy Articles & Updates

Cow's Milk Protein Allergy or Lactose Intolerance?

1/8/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
IgE or non-IgE mediated
It is an Allergy or an Intolerance?

In a milk allergy, the body reacts to milk proteins, not milk sugar.

In lactose intolerance, there is little to no lactase (an enzyme produced by our body), so the milk sugar (lactose) cannot be digested.



















Cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) affects from 2 to 6% of children, with the highest prevalence during the first year of age.
  • About 50% of children have been shown to resolve CMPA within the first year of age, 80-90% within their fifth year.
  • Symptoms usually develop within a week of cow's milk introduction, although it may be delayed for many weeks, reported up to 24 and 36 weeks.

Lactose intolerance has 4 types:
  1. Primary (the most common form in which our bodies decrease the production of lactase from 5 years of age)
  2. Secondary (after a gut injury, illness or surgery our bodies produce less lactase)
  3. Developmental (mostly affecting preterms and resolving soon after birth)
  4. Congenital (rare and genetic in origin, where there is little to no lactase production - higher incidence in Finland)

The tests for both are different.
  • skin prick tests or blood tests (specific IgE) for IgE mediated for milk allergy
  • hydrogen breath test or stool sample for lactose intolerance
  • no tests available for non-IgE mediated (normally food exclusion is the only option)

Obviously, the symptoms are also different.
  • IgE mediated (immediate kind) affects the skin most commonly, then the gastrointestinal tract, and least frequently the respiratory system. Cardiovascular symptoms are rarely reported. Symptoms can range in severity from mild to life-threatening. Their onset is typically within minutes of exposure.
  • Non-IgE-mediated (delayed kind) have typically an onset several hours and in some instances several days after ingestion. They tend to cause skin changes (eczema) and gastrointestinal disturbances (reflux with or without vomiting; constipation or diarrhoea).
  • Lactose intolerance presents mainly with gastrointestinal problems (abdominal pain, flatulence and diarrhoea).

If you or your child have an immediate reaction to a food, avoid it and ask for a referral to either a Paediatric Allergist or an Adult Allergist.

In case the reactions are delayed (2 hours to several days), your best option is to be seen by either a Paediatric Dietitian or an Adult Dietitian.


www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=218595863303988&id=109164090913833


0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Dr Costa is a Consultant Paediatrician and fellow of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.

    Archives

    May 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020

    Categories

    All
    Airborne Allergies
    Allergens
    Allergic Reaction
    Allergic Rhinitis
    Allergies
    Allergy
    Allergy To Pets
    Anaphylaxis
    Antihistamines
    Asthma
    Breast Milk
    Chicken
    Chicken Allergy
    Coeliac Disease
    Contact Dermatitis
    COVID19 Vaccine
    Cow's Milk Protein Allergy
    Dinosaur
    Eczema
    Egg
    Egg Allergy
    Egg Ladder
    Fish Allergy
    Flu Vaccine
    Food Allergy
    Food Allergy Labelling
    Food Industry
    Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome
    Food Protein Induced Proctocolitis
    FPIES
    FPIP
    Gastroesophageal Reflux
    Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
    GER
    GERD
    Guest Blog
    Gut Health
    Hayfever
    Histamine
    Histamine Intolerance
    Household Dust
    Immunotherapy
    Lactose Intolerance
    Mast Cell Activation Syndrome
    Mental Health
    Microbiome
    Middle East
    MMR Vaccine
    Neuritin
    Non Allergic Rhinitis
    Oral Allergy Syndrome
    Oxford AstraZeneca Vaccine
    Peanut Allergy
    Pfizer Vaccine
    Pollen Food Syndrome
    Probiotics
    Psychiatric Conditions
    Rabies Vaccine
    Shellfish Allergy
    Summer Camp
    United Arab Emirates
    Vaccination
    Vitamin A
    Vitamins
    Weaning
    Weaning With Reflux
    Wheat Allergy
    Yellow Fever Vaccine

    RSS Feed

Clinic Address: The Chase, Old Milverton Ln, Leamington Spa CV32 6RW
Email address: officedrcosta@gmail.com
​Contact number: 07949990798


Website design & content by LIT Communication: www.litcommunication.com
Picture
  • Home
  • About
    • Memberships
  • Services
    • Types of Allergy
    • Fees
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Contact