Milk allergy question

anna7602

So this is our first "real" experience with DD drinking lots of cow's milk. When she was a baby, she seemed intolerant to it in my BM, which wasn't a big deal since I am lactose intolerant myself and only indulged in ice cream or a big pizza ocassionally. Then when she was a toddler, she used to get immediate diarreah as soon as she drank a bottle of milk. So we stopped giving her any.

Over the last year or so, I noticed she was fine if she had a cup of milk at a friend's house or whatever, so started giving her milk every once in a while when we were out and about. I was not really keeping it at home since DH and I don't drink it and most of even the smallest milk container would go to waste in our house.

Now in France, I can get "DD-sized" containers of milk. Enough for her to drink a glass here and there and have it in her milk every morning without any going to waste. Everything seemed fine, but in the last week, she has started developing strange skin rashes. I thought they were perhaps due to our new laundry detergent or any other number of things that could be new here on anything she touches at home or at school. When I took her to the doctor last night for a cold, he thought the reaction might be to something she's eating.

Would a milk allergy do something like this? And would it take 3-4 weeks to show up? And never have manifested itself when she was drinking smaller/more infrequent doses of milk?

When I asked the pedi, all he could do was write me a referral to an allergist. The rashes go away on their own and don't seem to bother DD, they're just ugly when I happen to notice them. Not sure if I want to embark on the allergist route for this...

ctbride08

My daughter sounds a lot like what you describe.  Her milk allergy manifests in eczema - or it exacerbates it...either way, milk = eczema for her.  But, its only after a certain threshold is breached. A one-of glass of milk wouldn't be a problem but if its more often or she has a lot of yogurt or cheese, the rash acts up.

jandb2011

They may not bother her now, but with continued exposure the rashes could become worse and she could also develop other symptoms/reactions. 

I would take her to the allergist so you know for sure what's causing the issue...or, at least, are able to rule it out.

GreenFlamingo7

Your DD and her milk allergy/rash is EXACTLY what I had as a child, up until my early teens. I outgrew the issue and can tolerate milk without issue now.

webMistress0609

I have a milk allergy but it's mild enough that I can tolerate cheese 1-2 x per week. Ari has become the same way, but anymore than 1x per week & his reflux really acts up again, the GI issues come back, etc. 

Anyway, sinus issues, repeated sinus & ear infections, & much worse asthma symptoms were my biggest milk allergy symptoms. I also had acne & rashes. Pretty much no GI symptoms if I took Lactaid, so I thought I was just lactose intolerance. Dairy proteins often cause skin & upper respiratory issues.  

I'd pull the milk. Go see an allergist if you feel like you need testing or back up on your decision, but I think you know the answer.  It appears she can have it occasionally but I would keep it very limited.