Hypersensitivity to dairy products
My son is 10 months old and is drinking breast milk and eating solid foods like cereal, fruits, and vegetables and a little meat like chicken. When I first introduced him to dairy at 8 1/2 months (with plain yogurt), he quickly broke out in hives right around his mouth. I stopped giving him the yogurt (he had had about 2 tsps). The rash quickly went away.
At his 9 month doctor's appointment we mentioned it and the doctor suggested he not have any more dairy until after his first birthday. A few days ago, I was eating frosted flakes with milk and my son knocked the bowl out of my hand. Some milk splashed onto his face and hands and he picked up a handful of the flakes and put them in his mouth. I quickly got out as much of the flakes as I could but very quickly he began to break out in hives. Although he did ingest some of the milk (the flakes were soaked) it really seems as though the rash was worse where the milk had actually touched his skin.
Have you ever heard of such a rash occurring from skin contact with milk and not ingestion? The doctor's nurse suggested I give a quarter of a 25mg tablet of Benadryl crushed and to watch for any trouble breathing. I gave the benadryl and watched him closely and the rash went away and he had no trouble breathing. Just for the info of those who might be reading this, if he had had trouble breathing I would have had to call 911 because the hives could have spread to his throat and kept him from breathing.
Please tell me if you have heard anything about skin allergies from touching milk products.
Thanks,
Adrianne
Sue Gilbert
Sue Gilbert works as a consulting nutritionist. For many years she worked with Earth's Best Organic Baby Food, integrating nutrition and... Read more
Dear Adrianne,
I have never heard of a rash occurring from skin contact with milk. Did his hands also break out in hives from having picked up the milk soaked flakes? Generally it is the ingestion of the milk protein that causes the allergic reaction. Rashes and hives can arise quickly and disappear quickly, and are symptoms of a food allergy as you know.
There is a syndrome called Oral Allergy Syndrome which is caused by cross-reacting or identical allergens that are present in the pollen and the fresh food. This seems to only apply, therefore, to fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts. Symptoms include itching or swelling of the lips, tongue, throat, or roof of the mouth. It seems very unlikely that your son is dealing with OAS. A rash around the mouth can also be caused by the natural acids in foods like tomatoes or oranges, but this is a non-allergic reaction. Since milk is low-acid this would not be the cause.
It seems to me that your son is hypersensitive to milk and even trace amounts can cause a reaction that is quick to manifest itself. Because he reacted so quickly to even a small trace of milk, I suggest you talk to your doctor before rechallenging him with milk, as you may want to do it under medical supervision. Meanwhile, avoid all products that contain milk or milk products. To help you identify those foods, contact the Food Allergy Network for lots of literature and information. They are on the web at www.foodallergy.org.
Because your son will need to avoid dairy products, it will be necessary for you to make a concerted effort to find alternative foods that supply a good amount of protein, calcium and vitamin D to his diet. One good source if fortified soy milk. Tofu is also a great source of protein and some calcium and is a great baby food.
Good luck managing your son's allergy and I hope you find that he outgrows it in time. Most babies do. Thank you for writing.
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