How Do I Know If My Child Has Lactose Intolerance?

Lactose intolerance is a more common disorder than you might think. Once the diagnosis is established, the patient must modify his eating habits to improve his quality of life.

Children who are lactose intolerant are those whose body does not produce the enzyme lactase. This enzyme allows us to properly process and assimilate the lactose contained in the food we eat. Lactose, also called “milk sugar”, is found in the milk produced by female mammals.

Lactose promotes the correct absorption of calcium and promotes bone mineralization. Foods derived from dairy products also contain lactose. Among them are milk, yogurt, ice cream, butter and cheese.

What is lactose intolerance?

Lactose intolerance is a condition that occurs after ingestion of the latter.  By not producing lactase, the body does not absorb lactose efficiently.

The sugar therefore reaches the colon and is fermented by the bacteria that reside there. This causes gas, abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, and sometimes diarrhea.

Even if this disorder does not cause damage to the gastrointestinal tract, the child suffering from lactose intolerance can therefore be affected by the aforementioned drawbacks and feel very unwell. It is also important to know  the symptoms of a l intolerance and lactose allergies are similar.

This is why it is sometimes difficult to determine what the child is suffering from. Symptoms can also vary depending on age.

How do I know if my child suffers in Toleran this lactose?

The recurrent presence of the above symptoms may indicate the presence of this disease. I here are nevertheless other clinical conditions that present e nt symptoms similar to those of lactose intolerance.  It is therefore important to discuss with your pediatrician so that he performs the following tests which will confirm or not the diagnosis.

Lactose tolerance test

• This test measures the  level of glucose present in the blood after ingesting  lactose
• If glucose levels are not changed or increased, it is clear that lactose is not being absorbed properly.

Breath test

• To perform this test, it is necessary that the patient has eaten foods rich in lactose
• The doctor measures the increase in hydrogen that we usually eliminate through the lungs,  in small amounts and at regular intervals
• If the expired quantities exceed normal levels, the test will be considered positive

Stool tests

• The aim here is to identify the acidity level of the feces when the children are very small and the implementation of the previous tests proves difficult.
• Undigested lactose ferment e and produces lactic acid, one of the acids that can be detected in the child’s stools

How to help your child if he suffers from intoléran this lactose?

You must  avoid r giving foods that contain lactose if your child has been diagnosed as intolerant to this product. You can then plan your diet taking into account the following recommendations:

• Yogurt is easy to digest because it contains healthy bacteria that produce the enzyme lactase
• Foods such as vegetables with leaves green , lactose-free milk or cereal (oats, almonds, rice)  and calcium fortified juices are also a good choice
• The pediatrician can also indicate an adequate supplement to your child if he notices that his calcium intake is insufficient.
• Foods rich in  calcium  that do not contain lactose  may be a great option for your child. These include spinach, salmon or oranges

How to treat lactose intolerance in children?

As this condition is a condition of life,  the only effective treatment is prevention. A healthy, balanced diet that replaces the deficiencies in calcium and other nutrients supplied by milk, such as vitamin D, will therefore be of great benefit to the health of your child.

It is prudent to determine the degree of lactose intolerance your child has and to take the precautions that apply to him or her. Many foods not derived from milk indeed contain lactose in their composition. This is particularly the case with many desserts, sauces, soups and sweets.

I here are also now drugs that replace the lactase in patients with a deficit. They come in different forms, in capsules, powder or syrup. Their ingestion before meals therefore allows better digestion of dairy products.

We now know a little more about this food intolerance. However, do not hesitate to see your pediatrician as soon as possible if you think your child may have it.