Managing Life With Milk and Egg Allergies
Milk and egg allergies mostly affect children. Since children usually become allergic to milk and egg as toddlers, there are extra precautions that need to be taken simply due to the age of the child. Very young children do tend to put everything within reach in the mouth, including their own hands.
This can present a challenge to parents who need to place a child in a daycare. While most licensed daycares are today well-versed in allergy issues (particularly peanut allergy), not all will be free of hard-to-avoid allergens such as milk and egg.
Before completing enrolment, make an appointment to review allergy practices of the daycare where you’re applying. Can snacks be dairy-free or largely dairy-free (e.g. there are many brands of dairy-free crackers used as snacks)? What are the hand-washing practices following snacks and meals? What is the protocol for wiping down toys which are shared and could get smeared with, say, cheese residue?
Baked Goods Findings
Milk and egg are among the more challenging allergies to learn to manage – because both are used extensively in packaged food and bakery items. But good news: there is promising, very new research that shows many allergic children are able to tolerate foods containing either milk or egg: as long as they have been cooked thoroughly at a temperature of 350° F or higher. The amount of the allergen also is important.
Speak to your allergist about whether your child is a candidate for trying a baked goods challenge (never just try this without the specialist consultation). Research at Johns Hopkins University has shown that many children tolerating thoroughly baked milk or egg can even progress to foods that are less extensively baked, such as pizza. For more, see Milk, Egg Allergy Breakthrough.
Since milk and egg allergies tend to hit children before they reach the age of 3, it presents a challenge to the child’s parents. Many babies who become allergic to milk have to switch to an extensively hydrolyzed formula that is considered “hypoallergenic” for those who react to cow’s milk. Soy formulas are another option, although not all allergists suggest soy formula as the legume is also a potential allergen.
Pay attention to breastfeeding with an infant with either milk or egg allergies as cow’s milk protein can pass through in breast milk and the same may happen with egg protein. But this doesn’t always happen and before you eliminate either one from your diet, speak to your doctor about your infant’s allergy. An allergist or pediatrician may refer you to a dietitian who specializes in allergies.
Hand-Washing: When your child (or you) has a milk or egg allergy, soap and water are your best friends. Hands should be washed thoroughly before and after eating. If you have a school-aged child, ensure he (or she) is able to wash his hands before snacks and lunch. With younger children, schools usually adopt an allergy protocol of washing hands among all children after eating. Bring wipes with you at all times: they’re great for cleaning hands in a pinch, as well as wiping downs trays, tables and chairs when eating outside of your home.
Cross-Contamination: It’s important to make sure milk or eggs or products that contain them don’t come in contact with the food the allergic person is eating. That means thoroughly cleaning utensils and kitchen equipment after use. For example, if someone makes a sandwich with mayonnaise (which contains egg) or a dairy-containing margarine, be sure to clean the cutting board thoroughly with soap and water before using it to make the “allergy safe” sandwich.
Label reading: Whenever you eat a packaged food, you need to read the label in its entirety to check for any mention of milk or egg. Sometimes, they can have different names or can be hidden as an ingredient within a manufactured food.
You also have to look for precautionary statements on package labels, such as “May Contain Milk (sometimes “Dairy”),” or “May Contain Eggs.”
The better news is that food labeling in both Canada and the United States has improved considerably in the past few years, especially for the Top Ten food triggers. For more information on what you need to know when reading product labels, please view Label Aware.
One thing to be cautious of with milk and egg allergy: imported foods. Not all countries have the stringent labeling requirements of Canada, the United States and the European Union. Don’t take chances if you suspect milk or egg could be an ingredient of an import.
Uncertain Foods: Milk and egg tend to be hidden in many different products, even under different names (e.g. “sodium caseinate” for milk). This can be hard enough to manage if you are the one with the allergy or the parent of a milk or egg allergic child.
When it comes to others providing food for you or your child, always use the “when in doubt, go without” rule.
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