5 Doubts about lactose intolerance in children

Lactose intolerance is a digestive problem that occurs when lactose is not digested, a particular type of sugar present in milk and dairy products. The most frequent symptoms of this intolerance include gas and flatulence, diarrhea and pain or cramps in the stomach. Symptoms usually appear within a

Lactose intolerance is a digestive problem that occurs when lactose is not digested, a particular type of sugar present in milk and dairy products.

The most frequent symptoms of this intolerance include gas and flatulence, diarrhea and pain or cramps in the stomach. Symptoms usually appear within a few hours of consuming the food with lactose. However, parents, before the diagnosis of this intolerance, raise doubts about it.

5 answers to questions about lactose intolerance in childhood

1. Why is my son lactose intolerant? The digestion of lactose requires an enzyme, lactase. This enzyme divides lactose, a disaccharide, into two simple sugars, one glucose and one galactose, so that they can be used by the cells. People with lactose intolerance do not produce enough lactase, so that lactose accumulates in the gastrointestinal tract and is used as a substrate for the growth of bacteria present in it, and specifically in the colon. These bacteria ferment lactose producing gases that cause the flatulence typical of lactose intolerance.

2. Will my child be lactose intolerant for life? It does not have to. Depending on the reasons behind the insufficient lactase production this intolerance can be temporary or permanent. In general, lactose intolerances that appear in adults are usually inherited and have a genetic cause, that is, there is a failure in the genes related to lactase, so they are usually permanent. However, those that appear in babies and children have more to do with the fact that their digestive system is not fully developed and may have a more temporary character, being frequent that they disappear around 2 years. Obviously, not all cases are like that, but it is the most frequent. On the other hand, lactose intolerance also has a component associated with ethnicity, being more frequent in people of Asian / Oriental origin.

3. Is lactose intolerance an allergy? No, food allergies are the result of an inadequate immune response to an allergen, in this case, a food, even in minimal quantities, and its symptoms vary but usually include rashes and itching. A person can be lactose intolerant and consume small amounts of dairy without manifesting symptoms.

4. Does lactose intolerance have treatment? Intolerance lactose has no cure, but limiting the intake of foods containing lactose usually control the symptoms until they are undetectable. These dietary changes will be more or less drastic depending on the degree of lactose intolerance. A total intolerance requires the total elimination of lactose from the diet, while in other cases the person may be able to tolerate small amounts of this disaccharide.

5. What foods contain lactose? In addition to milk and its derivatives, there may be lactose in greater or lesser amounts in cookies, pastries, bread and breakfast cereals, chocolates, cakes and chocolates, mayonnaise and other sauces, soups and prepared purées, and quite often , in meat products such as ham, sausages and sausages.

According to the individual progression of the child, the doctor can indicate, at a certain age, slowly introduce lactose in their diet, so that it can be checked whether the intolerance has been overcome or not. If not, it would return to the lactose-free diet to proceed again to its introduction after a while.