How to Spot Lactose Intolerance in Children?
Learning how to spot lactose intolerance in children can allow fast access to lifestyle adjustments that will help them and you cope.
What are lactose, lactase and lactose intolerance?
Lactose is a form of sugar found in multiple substances – including breast milk. It is found in higher concentrations in some foodstuffs and much lower in others.
For example, in breastmilk, typically there is only about 5-6% lactose and that percentage remains the case for most forms of baby formulas. By contrast, in condensed milk, that percentage raises to between 12-16%.
This form of sugar is very important to help children’s growth and assists in their bodies processing things such as iron and calcium.
Lactase is an enzyme in the body that helps to break down lactose. Where there is insufficient lactase or it is not being as effective as normal, your child’s body may start to show signs of lactose intolerance. That is a condition that might result in symptoms ranging from being mildly inconvenient to life-disrupting.
The symptoms of lactose intolerance
Unfortunately, the list of potential symptoms is huge and they may also vary tremendously from one child to another. They can also be identical to the symptoms of many other illnesses. In older children and younger teenagers, they might include:
- bloating/ cramping (can be confused with menstruation or puberty pains);
- diarrhoea;
- excessive wind;
- constantly rumbling stomach;
- a lack of appetite.
In babies, look out for:
- regular nappy rashes;
- a failure to gain weight in line with norms;
- irritability;
- distress
It is extremely unusual for babies to be lactose intolerant to an extent that they cannot take breast milk. If that is diagnosed to be the case, a doctor may prescribe a lactose-free (or much reduced) formula.
In general terms, lactose intolerance is regarded as being unusual in younger children and is more commonly found in older adults and sometimes teenagers/younger adults.
What causes lactose intolerance in children?
There are three main causes:
- secondary (or temporary) lactose intolerance. This usually involves the side effects of another illness such as gastroenteritis, which temporarily reduce the amount of lactase in the body or which irritate the intestines to an extent that inhibits their ability to process lactose. Although sometimes distressing, this is rarely cause for concern and is typically resolved quickly;
- congenital lactase deficiency (alactasia). This is very rare and is a genetic condition that results in babies being born without lactase. Special medical diets and treatments may be required from day-1 of the baby’s life though with such diets, a normal life is possible;
- lactase non-persistence (hypolactasia). As we age, the amount of lactase our bodies produce naturally declines. This is partly why lactose intolerance is more commonly associated with adults and older teenagers than younger children. However, for some children, this decline starts at around the age of 5-7 meaning the symptoms may show from that age onwards. The reasons for this are unclear but are presumed again to be in part genetic.
Treatments
Studies indicate that around 60-70% of adults may suffer from one degree or another of lactose intolerance.
Diets or more accurately, dietary care is usually the only viable treatment for children and adults alike.
Most specialists recommend avoiding (or significantly reducing) the intake of:
- heavily concentrated milk products, such as condensed milk, ice cream, cheeses that involve similar (e.g., cream cheese), instant mashed potato with added milk and any biscuits or sweeties with a high lactose content due to their concentrated milk ingredients.
Many products today now show their percentage lactose content to help.
Do remember though to NOT cut out entire food groups from your child’s diet until such time as your doctor has confirmed the diagnosis and recommended a diet plan to you.
