Goat Cheese for dairy allergic son

[RachelS]

Hello ~
Has anyone tried goat cheese for their child that can not have cow's milk? Is it good? Does it have to be aged? Is it just as safe? Anyone buy it online?

Thank you!!!!!!
~Rachel

[DreamsInDigital]

My dairy allergic DS drinks goat milk and eats goat cheese but I get it from the store so I don't age it or anything. He likes it and does not have a reaction to it.

[Plummeting]

You can get goat's milk and some goat's milk cheeses at most grocery stores. My daughter has no problem with goat's milk products, even though she is highly reactive to cow's milk. She's in the minority, though. I think it's around 90% of kids who are allergic to cow's milk also react to goat's milk. The proteins are technically the same. The structures are just smaller in goat's milk. Aged cheeses are better for people who have dairy allergies, because it allows the bacteria to break down more of the protein.

[PumpkinSeeds]

My son is highly allergic to cows milk and also reacts strongly to goats milk.

[wendy1221]

I am allergic to cow's milk and I also cannot tolerate goat's. I can handle a little sheep milk cheese, but it gives me gas.

[Mrs.PhD]

I am interested in this topic so subscribing........

My DD is allergic to milk. I bought some goats milk and some goats milk cheese, but we haven't tried it yet. I did give her some goats milk feta a few months ago and she did get a small rash on her face (her normal reaction.) Same with sheeps milk feta. My friend was wondering if they were totally goats milk though, or is the cutltures used to make them cheese might be cows milk based?

So interested in others responses. I would love it if she could have goats milk. (Really I would love it if she outgrows it very soon, or at least someday! )

[Plummeting]

No, the problem is the proteins, Mrs.PhD, not the cultures. Goat's milk lactalbumin and casein is the same as those found in cow's milk. The difference is in the size of the protein structures. Over 90% of those allergic to cow's milk will be allergic to goat's milk.

[Mrs.PhD]

Originally Posted by Plummeting

No, the problem is the proteins, Mrs.PhD, not the cultures. Goat's milk lactalbumin and casein is the same as those found in cow's milk. The difference is in the size of the protein structures. Over 90% of those allergic to cow's milk will be allergic to goat's milk.

Yes that is what I have heard. (from Doc, nutritionist and online.) However I am amazed by the amount of people who say they can tolerate it (goats milk) but can't cow's milk. (not just for lactose reasons.)

[wendy1221]

But those aren't allergic people. Those are people who have trouble digesting the proteins, not people who are allergic to them.

[Mrs.PhD]

Originally Posted by wendy1221

But those aren't allergic people. Those are people who have trouble digesting the proteins, not people who are allergic to them.

I guess it is a terminology problem. While most people here on this thread has use the correct terms (if allergic can't eat it) MANY seem to say they are allergic to milk, but can have goats milk fine.

I have a friend who swears up and down she is allergic to sea food. I asked her about one day. She said she has some once, but it didn't sit will with her. : and she doesn't like it anyway. She just tells the severs that so she doens't have to pick it out of the food. :

My if my niece has shell fish her throat starts to close up. That is an allergy (and verified by testing.) Too bad because she (my niece) loves sea food and shell fish. (or at least used to, she hasn't been able to eat it for about 4 years now.)

[Plummeting]

Yes, in normal conversation, most people use allergy and intolerance interchangeably. I'm well aware of the difference, but I do it, too sometimes. It's too much of a PITA trying to explain the difference to people.

However, some people that have real, true allergies to cow's milk are not allergic to goat's milk. There's a mama who posted here not too long ago whose child is like that. Her child tested for both with the allergist and responded only to cow's milk. It does happen, it's just uncommon.

[Missy]

As Plummeting said, over 90% of individuals with a true dairy allergy will also be allergic to goat's milk. Since my son is ana on contact to dairy, it's not worth the risk to us. Mrs.PhD--your child has already had a reaction to both goat's and sheep's milk; I don't see a reason to risk it again.

[wenat]

My allergist told me that the closest animal milk to human is mare's milk. But good luck milking a horse!

[wendy1221]

Originally Posted by wenat

My allergist told me that the closest animal milk to human is mare's milk. But good luck milking a horse!

That is definitely NOT true. The closest animal milk is that of another ape, chimp probably, gorilla second.