One of the primary proteins in milk is casein. People can be allergic to casein with symptoms that can be either minor or fatal. This allergy usually affects children more than it does adults. It is common for this allergy to be misdiagnosed and sometimes thought to be lactose intolerance.
For babies, the symptoms usually show up when they first start consuming milk formulas. However, they normally grow out of the allergy by age 7. Like most allergies, the reaction to casein may range from mild to severe. Symptoms may include diarrhoea, trouble breathing, ear infections that are recurrent, runny nose and extreme griping in the stomach.
This effect of this allergy is usually seen initially on the skin by way of an itchy rash which can turn into eczema. In addition, there may be evidence of swelling in the face, as well as a reddening of the chest, throat or face. Symptoms are also experienced in the digestive tract where it causes persistent diarrhoea. Some symptoms are of a respirational nature with shortness of breath and wheezing; all asthmatic in nature. The blood pressure may drop and the individual may become unconscious. People may have these symptoms for hours or even days, and may also experience vomiting.
In order to figure out if the symptoms you are experiencing is directly related to casein, it is suggested that the individual remove some foods from their diet for about two weeks and make a note of the foods they do eat. After you have taken on a diet devoid of casein (you can find information on how to do this online), you should consult with allergy experts. Even after you have made the medical consultation, the onus is on you to be proactive by educating and protecting yourself by reading the wrapping on all the foods you consume to make sure they are safe.
If your family has had issues with food allergies, do not give the babies in your family any form of milk-based products. The best cure for an allergic reaction to casein is for you to prevent it altogether. When an individual is having a serious reaction to casein they may also have to stay away from such things as paints, some perfumes and colognes and glues. A casein allergic reaction can call for treatments such as epinephrine, corticosteroid cream or ointment and Benadryl, but the drug given is dependent on the degree of the allergic reaction the individual is experiencing.
As previously mentioned, an allergy to casein is not the same thing as being lactose intolerant. In the less severe instances of casein allergies, the symptoms may have the appearance of lactose intolerance. The body's immune system rejects the protein found in casein, thereby bringing about the severe response to its consumption, and this is how the allergy is manifested.
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