Accidental Exposure to Milk in Allergic Children

Children with diagnoses of cow’s milk protein allergy can be inadvertently exposed to foods containing milk. To explore the severity of accidental exposure reactions, investigators at an allergy clinic in Spain administered a questionnaire about such reactions during the past year to parents of 88 children (median age, 32.5 months) with cow’s milk allergy who presented for a regular clinic visit in 2004 or 2005. Allergy was defined as a positive skin prick test and either a positive oral food challenge or specific IgE antibody levels above 2.5 kilounits of antibody per liter (kUA/L).

Overall, 35 children (40%) had 53 accidental-exposure reactions. Investigators categorized reactions based on symptoms as mild (53%), moderate (32%), or severe …