Everyone knows that an infant needs milk. It delivers everything necessary for normal growth and development to the child’s body. But in some cases, the baby cannot drink milk or eat foods containing it. For 10% of babies, this healthy drink becomes poison, causing a severe allergic reaction. Most often, this is intolerance to milk proteins, one of which is beta-lactoglobulin.
Milk protein allergy
Intolerance to various foods is found in children now more often. The body reacts especially strongly to foreign proteins, for example, dairy. A fifth of all babies up to a year suffer from milk allergy. Moreover, the negative reaction extends to cow, sheep and even goat milk, as well as products based on them.
This is due to the peculiarities of the digestive system of infants. The microflora of the digestive tract has not yet formed, so the walls of the stomach are permeable to allergens, which can cause a strong negative reaction. In addition, babies do not yet have enzymes to break down such complex proteins into simple amino acids. These enzymes in a child appear after a year, so among adults only 2% suffer from milk allergy, mainly people with pathologies of the immune system.
Milk has a complex structure. In addition to useful trace elements and vitamins, it includes a large number of antigen proteins that can cause an allergic reaction of the body. But out of almost three dozen proteins, only four are most often allergic. This is casein, which contains 80% of milk, serum albumin, alpha-lactoglobulin and beta-lactoglobulin. An allergy to the latter is most often manifested, but this pathology does not proceed as seriously as others. Moreover, in most cases, intolerance to this protein disappears on its own after a year.
What is beta-lactoglobulin?
This is one of the milk proteins. Its milk contains about 10%, in this respect it takes the second place after casein. Beta-lactoglobulin is found in any milk other than breast milk. It is found in almost all dairy products, even in baby food. A feature of this protein is that it is destroyed by prolonged heating and fermented milk. Therefore, people with sensitivity to it can safely use hard cheese.
Causes of Allergies
The main reason for intolerance to this milk protein is the immaturity of the digestive system of the child. After the birth of the baby, she is adapted only to digest breast milk. And the rest of the food is perceived by the body as foreign, so an immune reaction occurs. Usually by 2 years, when microflora is formed and there are enzymes in the body for the digestion of proteins, the allergy goes away. But still, about 2% of adults suffer all their lives from milk intolerance.
The risk of developing allergic reactions increases if the mother's pregnancy proceeded with pathologies, severe toxicosis, if the mother didn’t eat properly during the gestation, as well as if the family lives in an ecologically unfavorable area or the next of kin also suffer from allergies. In addition, such a pathology is often found in babies who are early weaned, fed poor-quality mixtures or started feeding very early.
In children after a year and adults, an allergy to beta-lactoglobulin can develop for the following reasons:
- hereditary predisposition;
- the presence of allergies to other substances;
- enzyme deficiency ;
- inflammatory bowel disease;
- excess in blood of specific immunoglobulin.
How does allergy manifest
Milk proteins are absorbed by the body only after splitting them into simpler chains of amino acids. If this does not happen, and complex protein molecules penetrate the blood, the body's immune response occurs. Most often, a child’s allergy to beta-lactoglobulin is manifested by gastrointestinal disorders:
- in infants it is frequent spitting up, in older children - vomiting;
- baby's stool becomes liquid with undigested pieces of food or curdled milk;
- there are abdominal pains, so the baby is constantly crying;
- intestinal infections often develop due to microflora disturbance.
Skin allergies are also characteristic signs of milk protein allergy . This can be atopic dermatitis, eczema, crusts on the head, urticaria. In the most severe cases, Quincke edema develops. The respiratory system is also often affected in children. The child sneezes, he has a runny nose, shortness of breath. It is dangerous if laryngospasm develops. In addition, an allergy to milk protein can be a trigger for the development of asthma in a baby.
Diagnostics
To understand that the child is specifically allergic to beta-lactoglobulin, and not, for example, lactose deficiency, it is necessary to consult a doctor. An experienced specialist, after talking with parents and analyzing symptoms, can immediately make a diagnosis. But usually additional examination methods are also prescribed:
- coprogram;
- analysis of feces for dysbiosis;
- blood test for immunoglobulins;
- skin prick test.
Beta-lactoglobulin: which products contain
A child with intolerance to this type of protein needs to be removed from the diet all products containing milk or even traces of it. Only hard cheeses are considered non-hazardous, sometimes cottage cheese or kefir of their own preparation is allowed. Refuse from these products is also necessary for the mother, who is breastfeeding. Artificial feeding children should be transferred to hydrolyzate mixtures. In addition, you need to know where else beta-lactoglobulin can be located. What products contain this protein, mothers do not always imagine, although now manufacturers must indicate such information on the package. What kind of food can be dangerous for a person allergic to beta-lactoglobulin? The list includes:
- cookies, cakes, bread, pastries;
- butter;
- marshmallows, ice cream, chocolate and some other sweets;
- any milk desserts;
- milk powder and baby milk porridge.
What to do if a child is allergic to milk protein
With the appearance of beta-lactoglobulin intolerance, you first need to change the diet, removing all dairy products from it. If the baby is breast-fed, this should be done to the mother, but do not refuse breast milk. In severe cases, when edema develops, severe itching or respiratory failure appears, it is necessary to consult a doctor. After all, only with the help of special drugs can one get rid of such symptoms.