Lactose intolerance is a condition when body is not able to digest lactose, a sugar found in milk and dairy products. Lactose is an essential source of carbohydrates for babies. Lactose intolerance is caused due to lack or not enough enzyme called lactase to broke down the lactose into glucose and galactose.

Symptoms of lactose intolerance:

The symptoms of lactose intolerance in babies may vary and sometimes difficult to identify. Some common symptoms are:

• Pain/swelling or bloating in tummy
• Crankiness
• Failure to weight gain
• Diarrhoea
• Gas

These symptoms may occur within 1-3 hours of consuming milk or food like dairy products containing lactose.

Reasons for lactose intolerance

• Primary: when natural production of lactase is decreased due to decreased intake of milk or dairy products. This doesn’t occur before adulthood generally.
• Secondary: it’s a temporary intolerance which is caused by antibiotics, stomach infection or some other illness.
• Hereditary: when babies are born without or very low lactase enzyme. However, this is a rare condition.

Diagnosing of lactose intolerance:

First step in diagnosing is to see if your child is suffering from any of the above given symptoms. If yes, than you should meet your paediatrician at earliest. He may ask you to stop giving any of dairy products and to give lactose-free milk to see if the problem is solved. If the condition of your child is better he may ask to continue with this diet. For confirmation of lactose intolerance few tests may also needed to be done like blood test, stool acidity test, intestine related test.

Treatment:

If your child has been diagnosed with lactose intolerance you must have to avoid all sources of lactose like milk and dairy products. In some cases child can digest small amounts of lactose and some could be very sensitive to tiniest quantity. Lactose supplement drops could be given in child’s food to help him digest dairy products. Moreover, additional calcium, magnesium and zinc supplements could also be given to complete the nutrition they required.

Food to avoid:

You should avoid all dairy products like milk, condensed milk, milk powder, buttermilk, cheese, yogurt, curd, all type of creams, ice-creams, biscuits, bread and bread products etc. You should be careful while choosing packed food products from market. As there are many products where little amount of lactose is present. You can always check the ingredients and nutrition facts on the labels to find possible source of lactose. Few words on the label containing lactose may include:

• Milk
• Lactose
• Dry-milk powder
• Curds
• Milk by-products
• Non milk-dry milk powder
• Whey

Substitute food:

There are many substitute food products available in market like lactose-free dairy products including lactose-free formula, lactose-free milk, yogurts, cheese. You can also give dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, broccoli, nuts, fish and beans.  Soy milk and almond milk is very good source of calcium and protein. If required your paediatrician may also ask to start supplements to your child.

If you are breastfeeding your baby you may need to give lactase drops mixed in your expressed breast milk just before a feed. This helps to digest the lactose in your breast milk. Eliminating lactose from your diet would not help as it is produced by the breast and it’s not related to the amount of lactose taken in your diet.