Lactose intolerance in children

Children with lactose intolerance have problems digesting lactose - a sugar found in milk and dairy foods. Babies who are lactose intolerant will not secrete enough lactase enzyme in the small intestine. Without the lactase enzyme, the body will not be able to digest foods containing lactose, which in turn may make your baby feel uncomfortable after drinking milk, eating cheese, ice cream, or anything else. Contains lactose.

Symptoms of lactose intolerance

Common symptoms of lactose intolerance include:

Stomach pain;

A swollen abdomen;

Flatulence ;

Diarrhea ;

Nausea.

These symptoms usually start about 30 minutes to 2 hours after your child drinks or eats lactose-containing foods.

Treatment of lactose intolerance

In most cases, cutting or avoiding lactose-containing food sources and replacing them with lactose-free foods is sufficient to control the disease. Exact changes in a child's diet depend on how sensitive the baby is to lactose. Some babies can tolerate the lactose in their diet without any serious problems, while others may experience symptoms of the disease soon after consuming a very small amount of lactose.

Eating less or completely avoiding lactose-containing products may mean your child misses out on certain vitamins and minerals in the diet. Therefore, you will also need to make sure your baby is getting enough nutrients from lactose-free foods or taking supplements.

What should babies avoid eating when they have lactose intolerance?

Lactose foods that you may need to cut down on or avoid include:

Milk

The richest dietary source of lactose is all types of milk, including cow's, goat's and sheep's milk. Depending on your baby's lactose intolerance, you may need to change the amount of milk in your baby's meals.

Milk Products

Dairy products, such as butter, cream and cheese, can also be high in lactose and may be avoided if your child is lactose intolerant. However, your baby can still eat some lower lactose dairy products, such as hard cheese and yogurt.

You should try to feed your baby a variety of foods to find out which dairy products they can eat because they are growing and need a lot of calcium in the above products.

Other foods and beverages

In addition to milk and dairy products, there are other foods and beverages that may sometimes contain lactose, including:

Mayonnaise;

Cookies;

Chocolate;

Refined sugar;

Custard cake;

Certain types of bread and baked goods;

Certain grains;

Potatoes and instant soups;

Some processed meats such as sliced ​​ham.

The lactose found in some foods won't necessarily be listed separately on the food label, so it's important to check the list of dairy ingredients, powdered protein, curd, and dairy products like cheese, butter, cream.

Medicine

Some prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, and supplements can contain small amounts of lactose. Although this small amount of lactose is usually not enough to trigger symptoms in most people, it can cause serious problems if your baby's illness is severe or he is taking a variety of medications. If your baby needs medication, check with your doctor or pharmacist to see if it contains lactose.

What should baby eat when lactose intolerance?

There are many types of supermarket foods and drinks that can replace milk and dairy products:

Soy milk, yogurt and some cheeses;

Milk made from rice, oats, almonds, hazelnuts, coconut and potatoes;

Food labeled "non-dairy" or "suitable for vegetarians";

You can also buy cow's milk that contains lactose (the enzyme used to digest lactose). This means your baby will still get the nutritional benefits from milk, but they are less likely to experience any symptoms after drinking.

You should also choose calcium-rich lactose-free products, such as:

Green leafy vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, and okra;

Soy bean;

Tofu;

Kinds of bean;

Cakes and anything made with calcium-fortified flour;

Edible fish with bones (eg sardines, salmon ...).