The last time my son had a sip of milk he couldn’t breathe. So I’m sat here watching and waiting, nervously asking him if he’s OK every 30 seconds as I’ve just fed him cow’s milk. We have slowly climbed to the top of the milk ladder and this is his final step to outgrow a milk allergy.
When J was 15 months old he had an anaphylactic reaction to cow’s milk after getting hold of another child’s bottle. His airways closed up, he struggled to breathe and we had to give him the epipen. It was a terrifying day and the moment when we really understood the reality of living with his multiple allergies.
Starting the milk ladder
Despite this reaction and J’s high test results, our consultant encouraged us to try a baked milk challenge under hospital supervision just 8 months later. She told us 80% children with milk allergies can tolerate baked milk and if so, it may help them outgrow a milk allergy quicker.
The first step on the milk ladder involves going into hospital for the morning and eating a biscuit! (If your allergy is less servere, you may be allowed to do this at home.) The doctor will repeat the skin prick test and then slowly introduce small amounts of a malted milk biscuit, checking for any reactions. You then may need to stay a few more hours just in case they have a delayed reaction.
So we decided it was worth trying – and he passed!
Climbing the milk ladder
We continued giving him baked milk at home slowly and cautiously, introducing each new step the same way they do in hospital – rubbing it on his lip, giving a pea size amount, a small bite, a quarter etc and waiting 20 minutes between each one.
He tolerated each step with no reaction and after tests showed his numbers had come down significantly a year later, we started climbing higher, introducing cow’s milk yoghurt and chocolate in the same way.
Can you outgrow a milk allergy?
At our most recent appointment, his skin prick test to milk was negative! It was amazing to see this and I couldn’t quite believe it, so it was time to make the big, scary leap and try fresh cow’s milk.
I added a teaspoon of milk to his soy milk – he is a fussy eater and had already refused to eat cheese, so I knew this was the only way to do it.
I watched and waited tenatively. And nothing happened. He passed with flying colours!
The future
It is such a relief to know he can now safely eat cow’s milk now, especially with him starting school in September. I never would have expected him to outgrow a milk allergy after an anaphylactic reaction less than three years ago, so it gives me hope we might be able to to tackle some more.
We have also tried to introduce baked egg to J but unfortunately he has failed this challenge three times now, so it’s not always such plain sailing. Most children do outgrow egg allergies though so I am still crossing my fingers we will get there. The nuts, sesame and garlic are a little more uncertain but there are new therapies and research being done all the time so watch this space!
**Make sure you only try the milk ladder under the advice of your dietician or consultant and if your child has suffered a severe reaction in the past, you should start it in hospital. **
So fantastic to hear about J’s progress! Brilliant news xx
Thanks Kate, it really is brilliant.
I’ve just come across your blog whilst googling the milk ladder! Our son is 8 and we started yesterday with a malted milk biscuit, his symptoms were very similar to your sons previously! It is so massively inspiring to read your incredible journey and given us huge hope! Thank you for sharing!
No problem Sally. I love being able to give other families hope and fingers crossed your son keeps on climbing all the ay to the top!
Did your son have eczema too as a symptom of cmpa? I’m hoping and praying that my 2 year old grows out of his cmpa too.
Yes both mine had bad eczema before we cut milk out. Fingers crossed for you both!
This is so interesting to read. My grandson (who is one today!) definitely has egg allergy and we all have epipens at home now just in case he picks up something that someone has dropped which has egg in it. The hospital suspected milk protein allergy too and he is now on the milk ladder. Always a worrying day the first time he tries a new step. He has just passed the lasagne test and this week it is pizza, although his mum thinks she may change that to cheese on toast as not sure he’d eat a slice of pizza ok! It’s such a worry isn’t it? We don’t have allergies in our family so this has taken his parents by surprise. The egg reaction to a few crumbs of cake was immediate and skin prick test confirmed it. The next thing they are worried about is him having to have the MMR injection in a couple of weeks time, as the vaccine is grown on hen eggs or something like that. He has to have it early in the morning at the surgery and then wait there for an hour or so to see if there is a reaction. Did you experience anything from that vaccination?
Thanks Debs. Yes it is such a constant worry! We have been fine with all vaccinations even though J also reacts to egg in cakes. As it is grown on chick cells rather than the acual eggs, there is no protein in it. But waiting at the surgery just to be sure is the best idea. Great to hear he’s doing well on the milk ladder though!
I am happy to hear your story. Our 4 mth old boy had an anaphylaxis to dairy last fortnight. It is such a terrifying journey ahead.:(
This is great! Unfortunately, I’ve developed the allergy as am adult (along with gluten).
Hi Emma,
My son had an anaphylactic reaction when he had a slice of cheese nearly 3 years ago when he was 9 months old . He passed a baked milk challenge a couple of years ago and has been only taking baked milk and like you the thought of him drinking milk petrified me. After his last prick test where he had a 4 mm wheal the consultant said we can challenge him with fresh milk and I was googling frantically this past week to see if this is possible when I came across your post which gave me hope. So today, he passed his fresh milk challenge at the hospital 🙂 which fills me with so much joy.
Thank you for sharing your journey! Good luck and hope he outgrows his other allergies.
That’s brilliant Fatima! Thanks so much for sharing your story with me. It is things like this that make me do what I do. I am so happy for you and your son.