Dairy products are the most frequent cause of food allergy. Dairy allergy can affect children as well as the adults. However dairy allergy symptoms are more frequent in children than in adults in a majority of cases. The allergic reaction to dairy products can differ from person to person and the symptoms can even vary in the same individual at different occurrences. The symptoms can appear just minuets after eating or drinking any dairy product or in some cases the symptoms appear after several hours.

Dairy allergy symptoms in majority of occurrences, do not even last a whole day and they vanish as they come without doing any long time damage to the patient. But exceptions are also there.

The most common symptoms of dairy allergy may generally disrupt human body’s respiratory system, dermatological system and the gastrointestinal system. In some individuals, both adults as well as children, dairy allergy can disrupt the dermatological function of the body resulting in symptoms like:

• Itching and red rashes all over the body
• Hives
• Eczema
• Allergic black shiners(dark circle around the eye)
• Swelling of lips, mouth throat and tongue

Dairy allergy symptoms can appear in the form of some intestinal problems resulting in diseases like:

• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal cramp and bloating
• Gas
• Nausea

Dairy allergy can lead to a number of respiratory problems in some people. Dairy allergy symptoms can surface in the form of a number of diseases like:

• Sneezing
• Runny nose
• Watery or itchy eyes
• Nasal congestion
• Post nasal drip
• Wheezing
• Coughing
• Shortness of breath

Some additional dairy allergy symptoms in children may include lethargy, bed wetting and some behavioural problems like inattentiveness. Some children may show a glazed look when they suffer from dairy allergy.

Generally people suffering from dairy allergy can experience either one or some of the symptoms listed above. But in some rare cases a few people who are extremely sensitive to dairy products can develop a condition called Anaphylaxis. It is a very dangerous and even a life threatening situation which needs urgent medical assistance. Anaphylaxis is a sudden and severe reaction involving a number of bodily functions simultaneously. The symptoms of Anaphylaxis include:

• Tightness in chest and accompanied by chest pain.
• Hoarse voice
• Swelling of lips tongue throat and the airways leading to the lungs leading to the patient’s inability to breathe.
• Sudden drop in body’s blood pressure level.
• Dizziness
• Loss of consciousness

Anaphylaxis is a condition which is very rare and also very difficult to handle. Those people who are suffering from asthma are at greater risk of developing Anaphylaxis.