If you notice that every time your toddler drinks milk, she develops pain in her joints, she may be allergic to milk. A milk allergy can cause inflammation in your toddler's joints that can lead to arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. Milk allergies are the most common in toddler-aged children and typically are outgrown by the age of five years old. A milk allergy is typically identified by common symptoms that develop after consuming milk products. Your pediatrician can perform tests to diagnose and provide the appropriate treatment for you toddler's condition.
Milk Allergy
A milk allergy is common among young children and is caused by the proteins found in milk; casein and whey. When your toddler ingests these proteins, his immune system mistakes them as a substance that the body should fight against. Once the immune system makes this mistake, an allergic reaction transpires, causing the toddler to become irritable and fussy. Most milk allergies are related to drinking cow's milk, but a child with a milk allergy may also have an allergic reaction when drinking goat's, cow's or soy milk.
Joint Pain
Joint pain can be directed related to a milk allergy. During an allergic reaction most of the symptoms are the result of inflammation in soft tissue to different parts of the body. For example, if your sinus tissues become inflamed, you will develop nasal congestion, postnasal drip and a sinus headache. Histamine is a chemical released during a milk allergy that causes inflammation. If histamine is released in the tissues between your joints, your toddler will experience joint pain after drinking milk.
Diagnosis
Because joint pain is not common among toddlers, your pediatrician may recommend an allergist to perform allergy tests to confirm your toddler's milk allergy. Allergy testing for toddlers is performed by exposing the skin to the proteins in milk. If the skin becomes inflamed and irritated within 15 minutes, your child is most likely allergic to milk. Blood tests may also be required to diagnose the condition. A sample of your toddler's blood is taken and sent to a lab where milk proteins are added to your child's blood. If the blood creates allergy-induced antibodies, immunoglobulin E, your child is allergic to milk.
Treatment
The most effective treatment for joint pain in toddlers from a milk allergy is to avoid consuming all products that contain milk. If you are breastfeeding your toddler, you do not need to discontinue breastfeeding because breast milk does not contain the same proteins as cow's milk. Your child needs to avoid ice cream, custard, milk, whipped cream, yogurt and pudding.
