- Symptoms of milk allergies usually arrive within the first few months of your baby's birth and may appear immediately or gradually after exposure to milk. According to KidsHealth.Org, rapid-onset milk allergy symptoms arrive within hours after you feed your little one. Slow-onset symptoms arrive about seven to 10 days after your baby is exposed to milk; making it more difficult for you to identify because the symptoms appear so gradually.
- A range of skin problems, including hives and rashes, may occur with milk allergies in infants. Hives is characterized by the sudden spread of itchy and stingy welts across your baby's body, often showing up on the face, torso and diaper area. Random and seemingly unexplained rashes and eczema occur more commonly as slower-onset symptoms, often giving your baby's skin a rough, red appearance, especially on the cheeks, according to AskDrSears.com.
- Unexplained digestive problems, including diarrhea, vomiting, gagging and an upset stomach, frequently occur in infants and babies as a result of milk allergies. Excessive diarrhea, or loose stools, may occur at any time and often is tinged with blood, a result of the allergic reaction between the milk protein and your baby's intestinal lining. Vomiting, gagging and unusual amounts of spit-up are also characteristic signs of a milk allergy that may take place at any time after your baby consumes milk.
- For many parents, the first indication that an infant might have milk allergies comes with the arrival of extreme irritability or colic. Colic is characterized by the presence of extended episodes of uncontrolled crying, fussiness and screaming, sometimes for hours at a time. AskDrSears states that even if you're breastfeeding exclusively, your baby could still exhibit colic or irritability as a result of milk allergies because protein in the milk you drink gets to your child through your breast milk.
- In rare situations, your infant may exhibit anaphylaxis, an uncommon but potentially life-threatening symptom of milk allergies. According to the Mayo Clinic, anaphylaxis occurs when your baby's airways constrict and swell after exposure to milk, resulting in a marked difficulty in breathing, flushing of the face and even shock. Anaphylaxis requires emergency treatment with epinephrine, so if you suspect that your infant is experiencing anaphylactic shock, you should get her medical care immediately.
