Lactose Intolerance In Babies
Lactose Intolerance In Babies
Lactose intolerance in babies is very common, primarily because babies still have very sensitive digestive systems. In addition, their digestive systems are not yet fully developed, usually lacking the capacity to produce enough lactase. Lactase is the enzyme responsible for the breakdown of lactose found in dairy products. Since dairy products are good sources of calcium and protein, the babies’ inability to process such foods might also cause nutritional deficits.
Lactose intolerance is often compared to milk allergies, as both of these conditions exhibit similar symptoms, including bloating and flatulence. Although this is so, milk allergies differ in the sense that it is just the body’s reaction to certain proteins contained in milk and milk products.
Another condition that is mistaken as lactose intolerance in babies is lactose indigestion. Lactose indigestion is exactly what its name suggests: the body can tolerate lactose, but only a small amount. If there is too much consumption of foods that contain lactose, an excessive buildup of lactose occurs inside the digestive system. When the excessive buildup of lactose is more than the digestive system can handle, it is left inside the body to be fermented by the bacteria found in the intestines. This leads to the same symptoms as lactose intolerance, but lactose intolerance in babies suggests that the digestive system cannot process any lactose – not even a small amount.
Lactose Intolerance In Babies: Types
Congenital lactose intolerance is a condition when the baby is born with the inability to process lactose. Primary lactose intolerance is a condition that develops as the baby grows. A baby might be able to process lactose-containing foods during its early years, but will gradually lose this ability as he/she grows older. Primary lactose intolerance occurs when the baby’s body starts to develop and starts to adjust to the kinds of foods that the baby eats.
Secondary lactose intolerance is when the baby experiences a deficiency in lactase or when the condition is triggered by an external factor, such as an illness. Lactose intolerance in babies of this kind can occur when the baby has suffered from diarrhea, parasitic infection, gastroenteritis, and other illnesses related to the digestive system. Even a deficiency in iron can lead to lactose intolerance, while this might be among the rare causes of the condition.
Lactose Intolerance in Babies: Symptoms
Babies might suffer from mild to severe lactose intolerance symptoms, and such symptoms typically occur about 2 hours after drinking milk or eating foods derived from milk. Among the most common symptoms of this condition are as follows.
- Crying and observable discomfort after consumption of milk
- Nausea
- Abdominal bloating
- Flatulence
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pains
Lactose Intolerance in Babies: Diagnosis and Treatment
Lactose intolerance in babies tend to be difficult to notice, as this condition manifests in a way that is similar to many illnesses related to the digestive system. To be able to determine whether a baby has this condition, there are three tests that can be conducted to diagnose it properly. These tests are the hydrogen breath test, the lactose intolerance test, and the stool acidity test.
The hydrogen breath test is conducted by testing for the amount of hydrogen present in the air exhaled by the baby after consuming a significant amount of a lactose-containing food—usually milk. If the baby is not able to process the milk accordingly, it will be left in the intestine to be fermented – and the fermentation process will produce hydrogen as a by-product. Hydrogen would then be exhaled eventually, and the amount of hydrogen is checked for in the hydrogen breath test.
The lactose intolerance test requires the baby to be fed with milk about 2 hours before the test is conducted. After this period, blood is then taken from the baby and the blood sample would be tested for its glucose content. Lactose intolerance in babies can be detected in this manner if the glucose in the blood does not increase after consumption of milk.
In the stool acidity test, the stool of the baby is tested for its acidity. If the stool’s acidity has increased after consumption of milk, then it means that all the lactose that entered the baby’s body was not processed accordingly. In some cases, babies who turn from breast feeding to consuming a baby formula might avoid developing lactose intolerance by being fed only a lactose-free formula.
The most important thing in solving this lactose intolerance is determining the most appropriate way to deal with the situation. For this, seeking the assistance of a doctor will be effective in putting an end to lactose intolerance in babies: along with the other guidelines already mentioned above.