Allergic Reactions To Soy And Dairy

About 2.5 percent of children under the age of 3 are allergic to milk, according to The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network. Reactions range from very mild to life-threatening. Also among the top eight food allergies, soy reactions occur most frequently in babies and small children but tend to be milder. Usually doctors recommend allergy sufferers avoid dairy and soy products and treat symptoms of reactions that do occur. Most children outgrow the allergies before reaching school age.

Allergy vs. Intolerance

The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that up to 25 percent of people consider themselves allergic to certain foods. In reality, only about 4 to 8 percent suffer true food allergies, which differ from food intolerance. While some cases of food intolerance -- such as an intolerance to lactose, the sugar in milk products -- can be severe, a food allergy involves a reaction of the immune system to the presence of a particular food protein. Those allergic to dairy often react to casein, a milk protein.

Reaction Symptoms

Allergic reactions to dairy and soy products may occur a few minutes or a few hours after ingesting the food. Common symptoms can include hives or itchy, red skin; nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps; swelling of the eyelids, face, throat, tongue, lips or another part of the body; and a severe, sometimes life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis. To treat a mild reaction, your doctor may recommend antihistamines or skin creams. Anaphylaxis, however, qualifies as a medical emergency.

Anaphylaxis

Most anaphylaxis cases occurring outside the hospital setting may be attributed to food allergies. Symptoms of anaphylaxis may include a metallic taste in the mouth; tingling in the feet, hands, lips or scalp; hives; hoarseness or tightness in the throat; stuffy nose, wheezing or trouble breathing; vomiting, cramping and diarrhea; lightheadedness or dizziness; a drop in blood pressure; and loss of consciousness. If you believe you are experiencing an anaphylactic reaction, seek medical attention immediately. The reaction may occur minutes or even a couple of hours after ingesting an allergen, with life-threatening conditions sometimes developing for hours thereafter. Symptoms may disappear -- only to return with greater severity a couple of hours later, which doctors term a "biphasic reaction." At increased risk for developing anaphylaxis are asthmatics with food allergies, and people with a history of anaphylactic reactions. If you are at risk, your doctor may prescribe epinephrine; carry it with you always and consider wearing a medical identification bracelet.

FPIES

Food protein-induced entercolitis syndrome, or FPIES, involves a severe immune reaction in the gastrointestinal system due to soy or dairy sensitivity. Usually the first reaction occurs as babies take their first taste of any food other than their mothers' breast milk. Unlike other allergies, FPIES is a delayed -- or "cell-mediated," rather than antibody-mediated -- reaction that occurs about two hours after ingesting the allergen. Also unlike other allergies, this is almost exclusively a gastrointestinal reaction -- one that often is misdiagnosed as stomach flu, until that same "flu" recurs with every ingestion of the allergen. Hives and breathing problems typically do not accompany the vomiting and diarrhea. Reaction severity ranges from mild reflux and slightly loose stool, to vomiting and diarrhea so severe that dehydration may ensue, sometimes progressing to shock. Treatment of mild FPIES reactions typically involves preventing and treating dehydration. In milder cases, doctors may recommend administering re-hydration formulas at home; in cases of rapid dehydration, head to the emergency room, where professionals can rehydrate a child intravenously.

Eosinophilic Esophagitis

In some cases, allergies to foods such as dairy and soy may trigger eosinophilic esophagitis. In someone suffering from this disorder, an inordinate number of white blood cells called eosinophils collect in the esophagus, the tube linking the mouth and the stomach. Typical symptoms often depend on the person's age. Babies and toddlers may be irritable, have feeding problems and show poor weight gain Older children may vomit or experience heartburn or pain in the abdomen. Teens and adults may experience chest pain and difficulty swallowing. Eating takes a long time and requires a lot of water. Treating this condition requires a doctor's supervision. Usually it involves adjusting the diet to avoid proteins causing the allergic reactions and administering oral or topical steroids to control inflammation and suppress the eosinophils.