Milk is not a cause of increased mucus production, nor is it considered to be an asthma trigger. Consumption of milk has no effect on lung capacity, either deleterious or beneficial. It is a myth that milk is somehow harmful to children with asthma.
A recent study on the effects of milk consumption in asthma per-formed by Brunello Wüthrich, MD, Alexandra Schmid, Barbara Walther, PhD, and Robert Sieber, PhD, and published in the December 2005 issue of The Journal of the American College of Nutrition concludes: People with asthma are sometimes advised to abstain from the consumption of dairy products, but research shows that consumption of milk does not significantly change various lung function parameters . . .
Recommendations to abstain from dairy products due to the belief that they induce symptoms of asthma are not supported by the body of research evidence on the relationship between dairy consumption and occurrence of asthma. Furthermore, in general, there is no evidence to explain an underlying mechanism linking dairy and asthma. Therefore, people with asthma do not need to avoid the consumption of dairy products to control symptoms.
Milk can, however, be an allergen in sensitized children. Cow’s milk allergy is a true food allergy and is due to an allergy to the protein constituents of the milk. Like many food allergies, milk allergy usually manifests as gastrointestinal symptoms or as a skin reaction such as hives or eczema, as a runny nose, but not as increased mucus.
If you suspect that milk does not agree with your child, bring it to your physician’s attention. Do not automatically eliminate milk and milk products from the child’s diet without medical consultation and advice.
Growing children need calcium in their diets to promote bone health and proper development. In addition to calcium, dairy products are a significant dietary source of several other important nutrients, including protein, riboflavin, and vitamins A and B12. You should consider having your child evaluated for possible milk allergy if you have any concerns about milk and dairy products affecting their asthma.
If your child is allergic to milk, treatment will include elimination of dairy products. Your physician will assist you in modifying your child’s diet without compromising his or her nutritional status.