Lactose is the main carbohydrate found in dairy products. It consists of glucose as well as galactose. When lactose is broken down, the enzyme lactase is released. Lactase deficiency in the body is the root cause of lactose intolerance.

This condition in a child can be genetically determined, that is, inherited. It is usually seen in children born ahead of time and in underweight infants.

Older children usually develop secondary lactose intolerance, which occurs as a result of chronic or acute illness. The causes of intolerance can be:

• intestinal infections;
• protein allergy cow's milk;
• inflammation in the intestines;
• celiac.

Thus, the factors provoking the development of this condition include:

• ethnicity;
• heredity;
• premature birth;
• pathologies affecting small intestine, in which the process of splitting lactose and its synthesis is carried out.

Symptoms

Signs of lactose intolerance in children younger age usually manifest in the character of the stool. It has a pronounced sour smell and watery texture. In infants, the pathology also manifests itself in the form of frequent and severe regurgitation, flatulence, whims during feeding, refusal of the breast or bottle.

Often, older children fall behind in physical development from peers: they grow poorly and increase in weight a little. Moreover, they may experience a decrease in muscle tone and convulsive seizures.

Also among clinical manifestations lactose intolerance in older children includes borborygmi and flatulence. In some cases, there is pain in umbilical region: they are spasmodic in nature.

Lactose intolerance can, among other things, cause irritability, frequent shifts mood and fatigue The child has.

Diagnosis of lactose intolerance in a child

Lactose intolerance in children is diagnosed based on clinical manifestations. If necessary, the child is assigned additional methods examinations, for example, in order to identify the pathology that provoked given state.

As a rule, diet diagnostics is used, during which products containing lactose are excluded from the child's diet. After that, they look at the clinical picture and conduct a fecal analysis. If the symptoms improve and the pH level of the stool is normal and higher, then the child really has a lactase deficiency.

Also, children can be prescribed a chromotagrographic study, which will allow you to choose an adequate diet.

Complications

Secondary lactase deficiency has practically no consequences. Over time, any dairy products children's body will start to understand normally. After 6-7 months, lactose intolerance will completely disappear.

With primary pathology, lactose intolerance will persist for life. But absolute lactase intolerance is rare, so babies with lactase intolerance can still consume some milk. Signs of pathology will begin to appear only if the rate is increased. It is determined individually in each case.

Sometimes primary lactose intolerance is combined with secondary. In this case, the state of the intestinal microflora should be under constant control.

Treatment

What can you do

Parents of children with lactose intolerance should take care of special nutrition for a child. It should include low-lactose products, in the amount that is appropriate for the child according to his age. Also, lactic acid products can be included in the diet: usually children with lactase deficiency tolerate them quite well.

You can not use condensed or concentrated milk, drugs in which lactose is present. If signs of a condition appear, the child should be shown to a doctor who will diagnose and prescribe adequate treatment.

What does a doctor do

In the case when lactose intolerance develops as a secondary pathology, the doctor treats the underlying disease. In this case, the child is prescribed a special diet. If it is possible to achieve remission or recovery, they usually begin to gradually expand the list of foods included in the diet. At the same time, it is constantly monitored clinical picture disease, and the necessary tests are carried out.

In primary lactose intolerance, children are prescribed a diet that they must adhere to throughout their lives. Of particular inconvenience is such a diet, according to medical practice, does not deliver.

For children who are over a year old, milk is advised to replace products with low content lactose and sour milk. Confectionery products with milk fillers are also excluded from the diet. In some cases, children are given drugs with a lactose enzyme, which are taken in combination with dairy products.

Prevention

There are a number preventive measures which help prevent the development of lactose intolerance in children. Among them:

• timely treatment of any intestinal infections and pathologies gastrointestinal tract;
• compliance with hygiene rules;
• proper feeding of newborns.

to secondary preventive measures include following a diet based on the use of products with a low content of lactose or none at all. This will help avoid the symptoms of lactase deficiency.

In general, it is impossible to exclude foods with lactose from the diet, as this will reduce the amount of calcium entering the child's body.

Articles on the topic

Show all

Users write about this topic:

Show all

Arm yourself with knowledge and read a useful informative article about lactose intolerance in children. After all, being parents means studying everything that will help maintain the degree of health in the family at the level of “36.6”.

Find out what can cause the disease, how to recognize it in a timely manner. Find information about what are the signs by which you can determine the malaise. And what tests will help to identify the disease and make the correct diagnosis.

In the article, you will read all about the methods of treating a disease such as lactose intolerance in children. Specify what effective first aid should be. What to treat: choose medications or folk methods?

You will also learn how untimely treatment of lactose intolerance in children can be dangerous, and why it is so important to avoid the consequences. All about how to prevent lactose intolerance in children and prevent complications.

And caring parents will find on the pages of the service full information about the symptoms of lactose intolerance in children. How do the signs of the disease in children at 1.2 and 3 years old differ from the manifestations of the disease in children at 4, 5, 6 and 7 years old? What is the best way to treat lactose intolerance in children?

Take care of the health of your loved ones and be in good shape!

Milk is a champion in the content of calcium and phosphorus, rich in B vitamins, vitamin A and D. However, this drink is not equally useful for all children. Why and whether the baby will outgrow this phenomenon, about this and will be discussed below.

Why milk becomes an allergen

Approximately 8% of babies under 1 year old suffer from allergies.

An allergy is understood as an increased sensitivity of the body to the effects of certain antigen substances that are found in plant pollen, animal hair, and products. Any allergic reaction can develop in two directions:

1. A true allergy develops if a baby with an immature digestive system (fully formed by the age of 2 years) drinks or eats some milk-containing products, and his body cannot cope with the incoming proteins.
2. Pseudo-allergy, which is understood as the manifestation of symptoms with excessive consumption of milk against the background of sufficient production of the necessary enzymes.

Milk contains just over 25 antigens, the most active of which are caseionogen, lactoalbumin, α- and β-lactoglobulin. It is the last protein that is considered the main allergen, but it is not in the mother’s breast milk, therefore there is no allergy to such food.

Proteins by chemical structure- a set of amino acids that, getting into the intestines, under the influence of enzymes, break down into individual elements. It is in this form that they are completely absorbed.

However, in infants, digestion is not yet fully formed, and therefore few enzymes are produced. Then the protein chain is partially destroyed, combining several amino acids. These complex structures are not absorbed in the intestines, which is why an immune response develops in the form of an allergy.

Reasons for the reaction

Appearance hypersensitivity To certain products, including milk, in a baby is determined by heredity. That is, if the mother is allergic, then the risk of such reactions in the baby is rapidly increasing. adversely affect the health of the child favorable conditions pregnancy, constant stress, any pathology (fetal hypoxia, gestosis).

Thus, an allergy to milk in an infant can develop in two cases:

1. if a mother who is breastfeeding a child has eaten some product based on cow's milk;
2. when using mixtures that are usually prepared on the basis of milk.

Symptoms

In children under 1 year of age, food allergies are often expressed by diarrhea. Because digestive organs they cannot cope with their “direct duties”, insufficiently digested food residues (after the introduction of complementary foods), curdled milk are noticeable in the feces. Vomiting is sometimes possible, and in newborns it manifests itself in the form of frequent and profuse regurgitation.

V stool ah, when conducting a general analysis, erythrocytes, as well as blood streaks, can be detected. This indicates a severe course of allergy, even in the absence of manifestations on the baby's skin, with damage to the intestinal mucosa.

Often the child becomes restless, constantly naughty, presses the legs to the tummy, and therefore many parents mistakenly begin to treat colic. However, such a condition occurs only when milk, especially cow's, or fermented milk products enter the body.

Naturally, mother's milk cannot be the direct cause of allergies, but food products may well be, and cow's milk is no exception.

In babies after 1 year, pain in the abdomen (around the navel) after eating any dairy products appears constantly. Such pain attacks last about 20-25 minutes. In addition, there is a secondary deficiency digestive enzymes, which leads to impaired absorption of gluten, lactose.

On the skin, a “milk” allergy is manifested by the following symptoms:

• Eczema- rashes mainly on the cheeks of small bubbles that burst, and erosion occurs in their place. The sores are gradually tightened, forming dense crusts. Such manifestations of allergies appear in babies up to six months.

• Hives- Another type of allergic reaction of the immediate type. Blisters appear on the skin, while the child feels severe itching.

Attention! Very rarely, a milk protein allergy can manifest itself as sneezing, allergic rhinitis, and breathing problems. However, some babies may develop laryngospasm, in which the ligaments swell, which is dangerous with further asphyxia (suffocation).

If you experience any symptoms of hypersensitivity to products, you should consult a pediatrician and / or an allergist. The doctor will collect an anamnesis, that is, determine the genetic predisposition of the baby to such reactions, confirm the manifestations of urticaria or atopic dermatitis, if any, find out if there are stool disorders, lack of weight in the child.

After that, they are assigned additional tests to distinguish milk allergy from similar reactions to other products, lactase deficiency. The doctor usually recommends a coprogram ( general analysis feces), examination of fecal masses for intestinal dysbacteriosis, a blood test for allergens aimed at detecting class E immunoglobulins to milk proteins, a skin allergy test.

Allergy or lactase deficiency

The manifestations of lactose intolerance (milk sugar) are very similar to those of sensitivity to milk proteins. The child has colic, bloating, frequent regurgitation, upset stool. However, the consistency of the stool changes. It becomes watery and frothy, acquires a greenish tint. In this case, often lactase deficiency is combined with an allergy to milk protein.

With lactose intolerance, lactase deficiency is considered the main cause of such symptoms. Under the influence of this enzyme, lactose is broken down in the body into simple carbohydrates which are completely absorbed. If there is little lactase, milk sugar remains unchanged in the intestine.

To distinguish lactose intolerance from milk allergy, you can do this test. Within 5-7 days, a lactose-free diet should be followed:

• artificial babies are recommended to be transferred to a lactose-free mixture (Nenny is suitable for goat milk, hydrolyzate "FrisoPep AS");
• at breastfeeding Mom is on a dairy-free diet.

If the manifestations of allergies become less pronounced or disappear altogether, then the baby has a lactase deficiency. Indeed, with an allergy to milk protein, the symptoms will not go away so quickly, since it will take more than a few days to remove the allergen from the body.

What to do?

Naturally, breastfeeding is ideal for baby. Therefore, all pediatricians recommend sticking to this type of diet for as long as possible, and the manifestations of any allergy are not an excuse for not breastfeeding. Just in this case, mom should stick to hypoallergenic diet.

You will have to give up products containing milk in any form. It's ice cream, milk chocolate, butter, as well as nuts, eggs, fish, which also often provoke allergies in children. If allergic manifestations have not pronounced symptoms, mother can replace milk with fermented milk products (kefir, fermented baked milk, cottage cheese).

The condition of the child will noticeably improve only after a month. If an allergy to milk is confirmed and the diet is ineffective, you will have to transfer the child to special mixtures of deep protein hydrolysis.

Attention! If you are allergic to cow's milk, the same reaction is possible to goat's.

With intolerance to milk, you can gradually introduce dairy products v children's menu. So, at 7 months you can introduce homemade yogurt, and at 10 - cottage cheese. The fact is that during fermentation, milk proteins are broken down into simpler amino acids, which are well absorbed.

For artificial kids

As a rule, most adapted mixtures are made on the basis of cow's milk. In view of this, when confirming a "milk" allergy, it is recommended to replace such a mixture with another one, with goat's milk, or with special hydrolysates. Such a diet will have to be followed for about six months.

After that, you can replace the specialized formula with the usual one, but if the allergic manifestations return, you should switch back to hydrolyzed formulas, and the introduction of complementary foods from any dairy products should be postponed for another 6 months.

However, switching to goat milk mixtures does not guarantee getting rid of allergies. Hydrolyzate mixtures are safer, where proteins are broken down to amino acids. In addition, they do not contain gluten and lactose. These are mixtures such as FrisoPep AS, Nutricia Pepticate, Nutrilon Pepti TSC.

At genetic predisposition to the development of allergies, pediatricians recommend infant formulas with incomplete protein breakdown. These are Nutrilon Hypoallergenic 1 (children up to 6 months), Nutrilon Hypoallergenic 2 (children over 6 months), NAN Hypoallergenic 1 (up to 6 months) and NAN Hypoallergenic 2 (from 6 to 12 months), and also hypoallergenic mixtures from the HiPP, Humana lines.

More specific treatment, whether it is the appointment of antihistamines, ointments or creams, only a doctor should prescribe!

To see new comments, press Ctrl+F5

All information is presented for educational purposes. Do not self-medicate, it is dangerous! An accurate diagnosis can only be made by a doctor.

Milk - food product, which must be present in baby food. It contains calcium, proteins, vitamins, minerals. But about 5-10% of young children have a milk allergy. By the age of 2-3, most children's allergies go away. But in 15% of cases, this pathology remains for life.

An allergic reaction to milk proteins should not be confused with an intolerance to dairy products. The reason for intolerance lies in the problem of milk processing by the digestive tract. And the allergy manifests itself as a result of the “attack” of the immune system on the product, as an alien antigen protein.

Reasons for the development of the disease

The most potentially dangerous for the manifestation of allergies are such milk proteins: albumin, casein, alpha- and beta-lactoglobulin. The connecting link of proteins is amino acids. When milk protein enters the digestive tract, enzymes break it down into its individual components. Then they are absorbed by the body. In infants digestive system not formed, proteins are not completely broken down. The immune system begins to attack them, perceiving them as foreign. The result is an allergic reaction. In addition to protein, lactose, milk sugar, can provoke allergies.

It is not known exactly why the immune system some children perceive milk protein or sugar as a foreign substance. Many experts explain this by the lack of formation of the gastrointestinal tract, the walls of which are highly permeable. Due to this, the protein easily penetrates into the bloodstream almost unsplit, causing allergies. Only by the age of 2-3 years the child's body becomes able to withstand the attack of food allergens.

The likelihood of an allergy to cow's milk protein in children increases if the family already has such a pathology. In this case, we can talk about the hereditary nature of allergies. The development of the reaction is also influenced by ecology, the mother's lifestyle during pregnancy and lactation, pathology of intrauterine development.

First signs and symptoms

Since allergens enter the bloodstream, the signs of an allergy may be various bodies and systems.

Drug therapy

To relieve allergy symptoms antihistamines considering the age of the child:

• Fenistil;
• Erius;
• Zyrtec.

Toxins and allergens are best removed using enterosorbents:

• Enterosgel;
• Polysorb;
• Atoxil.

To remove rashes on the skin, use external ointments:

• Bepanthen;
• Skin cap.

In severe cases, a short course of corticosteroids (hydrocortisone) is given.

Milk allergy is a common pathology in children. early age. With the right approach to solving the problem and following all the recommendations, the disease goes away. By the age of 3, the digestive and immune systems are already formed. Most foods cease to cause allergies, are completely absorbed by the body. If the allergy to milk remains, then in this case, a dairy-free diet will have to be followed for life. But do not forget that nutrition should be complete, with enough nutrients.

Video. What foods can be used if a child is allergic to milk? An allergist-immunologist will answer the question:

In 95% of cases, maternal milk intolerance in newborns is due to a deficiency of the lactase enzyme responsible for the breakdown of milk sugar (lactose). Congenital lactase deficiency is not rare disease and belongs to the category of metabolic pathologies.

Given the data of medical statistics, every 3 newborn child is faced with a deficiency of this enzyme, which manifests itself in the form of digestive disorders varying degrees intensity. If one infant needs specialized treatment of this condition, then other babies forget about this state of insufficiency without outside intervention by 4-5 months.

The role of lactase in the child's body

This type of carbohydrate, found in a woman's breast milk, important role in the process of forming the body of a newborn and ensuring life in general. This chemical compound is an energy resource that meets the needs of a growing organism. The absorption of lactose (milk sugar) is carried out in the lumen of the large intestine, but on the condition that lactase is produced in the body of a newborn baby in the required amount.

In addition to replenishing energy needs, milk sugar promotes the absorption of such chemical components as magnesium, potassium, manganese. Due to the presence of lactose in the lumen of the large intestine, favorable conditions are created for the reproduction of beneficial microflora.

In adulthood, the problem of lactase deficiency is solved by eliminating whole milk from the diet. For a newborn baby, mother's breast milk is the main source of nutrients, so the problem of its intolerance is acute.

Deficiency classification

Deficiency of this enzyme can be provoked by both external and internal factors. In modern medical practice, this condition is classified into the following types:

1. Primary insufficiency. This type of lactase deficiency does not have characteristic clinical manifestations in newborns, so the main signs of this condition tend to make themselves felt as they grow older.
2. secondary insufficiency. This metabolic pathology develops in a newborn child against the background of past illnesses gastrointestinal tract. Such diseases include rotavirus infection, gastroenteritis and colitis.
3. genetically determined intolerance breast milk. This state occurs in the background congenital anomalies development. Pathology is characterized by rapid progression and severe course. With a genetically determined intolerance, milk sugar is detected in the urine of the child.

Symptoms of intolerance

The symptoms of this pathology are dominated by signs of disorders digestive function. Each newborn baby is characterized by an individual severity of the clinical picture.

Symptoms of breast milk intolerance include:

• foamed liquid stool having a sour smell;
• Excessive formation of gas in the intestines of the child, which is fraught with the appearance of colic;
• Frequent regurgitation of breast milk after feeding;
• Symptoms of dehydration (dehydration). Dryness is one of these symptoms. skin and mucous membranes, lethargy, weight loss and rare episodes of urination;
• Frequent tearfulness, emotional arousal, whims and refusal of the child to breastfeed;
• Slow weight gain or its sharp decrease.

Some babies are characterized skin signs maternal milk intolerance. These symptoms include atopic dermatitis.

Breast milk intolerance can be recognized by the following additional signs:

• Visual muscle tension in the anterior abdominal wall in a baby, visible bloating;
• During attachment to the breast, the baby abruptly refuses even before the moment of saturation;
• When holding the child in their arms, parents can hear rumbling in the intestines;
• In the feces of a newborn, particles of undigested food are noted.

The diagnosis of milk intolerance is made on the basis of complaints from parents, a general examination of the child, and also taking into account the results of laboratory and instrumental examinations.

Diagnostics

In order to confirm the diagnosis of breast milk intolerance, a newborn baby will be prescribed the following medical examination options:

1. Clinical blood test and evaluation of the lactase curve. For the purpose of this study the child is given a minimum dosage of milk sugar, after which blood is taken for testing for lactase levels.
2. Clinical examination of neonatal feces for carbohydrates. This technique can be attributed to outdated methods for diagnosing lactase deficiency. Little information content this method due to the fact that during the analysis it is difficult to distinguish fragments of glucose from lactose or galactose.
3. Carrying out a hydrogen test of the air exhaled by the child. This technique is highly informative and meets safety standards. In order to identify lactase deficiency, an assessment of the air exhaled by the child is carried out. The disadvantage of the hydrogen test is the impossibility of carrying it out in babies under 3 months old.
4. Biochemical analysis of intestinal microflora.
5. Evaluation of milk sugar content in urine samples.
6. Mucosal biopsy small intestine. The level of information content of this method is at least 90%. A serious disadvantage of biopsy is the need for general anesthesia.

As auxiliary methods for diagnosing maternal milk intolerance, gluten intolerance analysis is used, as well as the detection of antibodies to cow's milk proteins.

Treatment

Maximum effect from drug therapy wherein pathological condition observed in children born prematurely. If this condition is of a secondary nature, the newborn baby is prescribed bacterial medicines that stimulate the production of this enzyme.

For the purpose of restoring normal microflora large intestine infants are prescribed the drug Bifidumbacterin in the form of a powder for dilution. Bifidumbacterin is prescribed for babies from the first days of life. Before the start natural production lactase by the child's body, the baby is prescribed enzyme replacement therapy. This group medicines is intended for dilution in a small portion of breast milk before each feeding of the newborn.

In addition to specialized medical assistance it is important for a young mother to reconsider the technique of natural feeding. Only the anterior portions of breast milk should not enter the body of a child with lactase deficiency. At frequent application to the breast and its incomplete devastation enters the child's body a large number of milk sugar, which provokes digestive disorders. Before each feeding, a woman should express foremilk.

A condition caused by a child's inability to digest lactose (milk sugar) is called lactose intolerance. Since the cause of this condition is a lack of the enzyme lactase in the body, its second name is “lactase deficiency”. What are the causes of such a pathological condition and what should parents do if it is detected in a baby?

In newborns and infants

In newborns, lactase deficiency is usually genetically determined. To a greater extent such congenital intolerance develops in carriers of Asian genes. Also, in children under 6 months of age, lactase deficiency is associated with intestinal infection, allergies, or other diseases.

Often, lactase deficiency is detected in premature babies, as a result of the immaturity of their digestive tract.

The congenital form of the disease occurs in premature babies; over time, with rare exceptions, it disappears.

In older children

Most often, lactose intolerance develops in older children by the age of 9-12. In babies who are no longer breastfed, the amount of lactase in the body gradually decreases. Although among Europeans there are many people in whose body lactase is normally produced until old age.

Among older children, many do not tolerate milk sugar and do not suffer from it at all. They simply do not consume dairy products to avoid intolerance symptoms. But for small child such a pathological condition can become a problem, since milk is the staple food at an early age.

Signs and symptoms

Hypolactasia ( an insufficient amount lactase) can be identified by the following symptoms:

• Stomach ache.
• Nausea.
• Flatulence, bloating, rumbling in the abdomen.
• Diarrhea that appears one to two hours after eating dairy products.
• Restless behavior of the child after eating.

Abdominal pain may be one of the symptoms that the body cannot process lactose.

Classification

There are two types of lactose intolerance:

1. Congenital. A very rare condition in which the baby quickly loses weight immediately after birth, suffers from dehydration and is at risk of death. To confirm the diagnosis, an intestinal biopsy is required, but it is rarely prescribed for newborns, more often simply transferring the baby to a lactose-free diet for 4-6 months, after which they give the baby lactose in small quantities.
2. Transient. Occurs in children who were born prematurely.
3. Primary. It develops after the end of breastfeeding. This form of lactose intolerance is very common. It is typical for people living in Asia, America, Australia, as well as on the African continent and islands in the Pacific Ocean. This is due to the history of human nutrition, since in the past people ate animal milk mainly in European countries, in parts of Africa and India. Such lactase deficiency is manifested by bloating, nausea, belching, diarrhea, and vomiting. Symptoms may change throughout life. Someone reacts to a small amount of lactose, and someone is able to absorb a larger amount.
4. Secondary. Appears as a result of intestinal damage by infection, allergies or other causes. For example, after gastroenteritis, the body takes several days or weeks (depending on age) to restore lactase production.
5. Functional. Appears at healthy child who is gaining weight, but suffers from gas, frequent watery stools with a greenish tint. Tests that detect lactase deficiency in such children will be false positive. The reason for this problem is the lack of hind (fat-rich) breast milk, as well as an immature enzymatic system.

Depending on the severity of the pathology, lactase deficiency can be complete or partial.

Exists various forms lactase deficiency, many of which go along with the adaptation of the child's body

Causes

The cause of lactase deficiency in newborns (primary deficiency) is often a genetic predisposition.

The following reasons lead to the development of a secondary form of this pathology, which is acquired:

• Inflammatory processes in the small intestine.
• Transferred infections.
• Surgical interventions on the stomach, as well as on the intestines.
• The presence of celiac disease.
• Conducting chemotherapy.
• development of ulcerative colitis.
• Crohn's and Whipple's diseases.

Here are the processes that occur in the body in case of problems with the digestion of lactose:

• Undigested lactose enters colon where water also enters by osmosis.
• This milk sugar is digested by bacteria in the colon, resulting in gas.
• Undigested fatty acids appear in the stool, which are also formed as a result of bacterial activity.
• The intestinal mucosa becomes irritated, leading to excess mucus production.
• Since the stool passes through the intestines too quickly, its color becomes green.
• The result will be sour, frothy, greenish, loose stools, the examination of which will reveal sugar (undigested lactose).

Differences between lactose and lactase

The similarity of the name often leads to confusion between these two words:

• Lactose is an important carbohydrate for a child, represented by a combination of two molecules - galactose and glucose.
• In order for the body to break it down and digest it, it needs lactase. It is an enzyme produced in the small intestine.

Lactose and lactase are two completely different concepts, roughly like nail polish and nail polish remover.

If there is not enough lactase, then the breakdown of lactose does not occur, that is, it is not digested. That is why this condition can be called both lactase deficiency and lactose intolerance.

It's not a milk allergy

Lactase deficiency is often confused with the development of an allergy to dairy products. But these are completely different problems. Milk allergy is much less common than lactose intolerance and is a more serious condition with a risk of death.

If the baby is allergic to milk, then it is contraindicated for him to use this product. Once in the body, even in small quantities, milk will cause the baby to develop rashes, itching, difficulty breathing and other allergy symptoms.

But with a lack of lactase, the body is able to process milk product in a small amount, for example, if you drink milk in an amount of 100 ml at a time or eat yogurt up to 50 g.

What to do?

If the baby's stool has a greenish tint, while it is liquid and frothy, the breastfeeding baby's mother is recommended:

• Make sure that the baby is properly attached and that the breast is properly latched on.
• Try to feed for three to five hours from only one breast.
• Since often in this case the mother has a lot of milk, the second breast at this time will have to be pumped a little.

With green stools, feed your baby only one breast for 6 hours, so his body will get more nutrients, so necessary for his body

Treatment of lactose intolerance is usually reduced to the exclusion of this disaccharide from the diet or the use of medications containing lactase. At the same time, the symptoms are treated, and the cause is also eliminated (if lactase deficiency is secondary).

Breastfed children lactase preparations are often prescribed, since to reduce the amount women's milk in the baby's diet is undesirable. If it is impossible to use such drugs, the child is transferred to a low-lactose mixture (at first, partially, keeping a maximum of breast milk in the diet of crumbs, which will not cause symptoms of lactase deficiency).

When formula feeding a baby choose a product that will maximum amount lactose, which does not cause clinical manifestations of insufficiency. You can combine the usual mixture and lactose-free or transfer the crumbs to a fermented milk mixture. If the lactase deficiency is significant, the child is given only a low-lactose formula.

In the preparation of complementary foods for a child with lactase deficiency, not milk is used, but a lactose-free mixture, and after a year, dairy products are replaced with low-lactose analogues.

If hypolactasia is secondary, then a low-lactose diet is kept during the treatment of the underlying pathology. Products with lactose are introduced gradually within 1-3 months after recovery.

Required tests

There are several ways to determine if you have a milk sugar intolerance:

1. Coprogram. Analysis quantifies fatty acids, as well as the pH reaction. If lactose intolerance is present, the stool will be acidic and the concentration of fatty acids will increase.
2. Detection of carbohydrates in feces. It is most commonly used to detect lactose intolerance, but is often false negative or false positive. The method detects carbohydrates, but cannot show for sure that it is milk sugar. Its results are taken into account only in conjunction with other analyzes and clinical manifestations.
3. Hydrogen breath test. A very common method, which consists in using a special device that checks the air exhaled by a person after consuming glucose. The test is not to be used on children under 3 months of age.
4. lactose curve. Carry out blood sampling on an empty stomach in morning time, then lactose is consumed and a blood test is performed again a few hours later. Based on the results, a graph is built, which is called the lactose curve. The method is not very informative, and its use in baby fraught with some difficulties.
5. Biopsy of the intestine. This is very exact method for the diagnosis of lactase deficiency. It consists in taking small sections of the mucous membrane of the small intestine. These microscopic areas determine the activity of lactase. The method is rarely used because of its trauma and the need for general anesthesia.
6. Genetic research. Helps to identify primary insufficiency. The disadvantage of the method is its high cost.

If you suspect lactose intolerance, you need to pass several tests, after which you can be given accurate diagnosis

How to live with it?

The prognosis for people with this pathological condition is usually favorable. Most of those who cannot tolerate milk sugar do not consume dairy products at will (not wanting to be questioned, they say that they simply do not like them).

Lactose is not found in the following products:

• Vegetables;
• Vegetable oils;
• Pasta;
• Fruit;
• Raw fish;
• Eggs;
• Raw meat;
• Vegetable and fruit juices;
• Nuts;
• Cereals;
• legumes;
• Soy drinks, soy meat and soy curd;

There are a large number of foods that a child can eat with lactose intolerance.

• On sale you can find milk that does not contain lactose. The sugar in such milk is already broken down into galactose and glucose, so this dairy product can be consumed with lactase deficiency.
• If you have lactose intolerance, you should consume more of those dairy products in which this carbohydrate is already fermented. Such products are hard cheeses, yoghurts and other fermented milk products.
• Chocolate milk is a good choice, as cocoa has the ability to stimulate lactase production, which improves milk absorption.
• Milk with lactase deficiency is recommended to drink with meals. Great if milk is combined with cereals. The volume of a serving of milk at a time should be up to 100 milliliters.
• Remember that in skimmed milk milk sugar is present. This milk has the fat removed, not the lactose.
• Lactose is present not only in milk, but also in other products - products for diabetics, confectionery, sauces, bread, margarine, cream, condensed milk, chips and many others. Even if the list of ingredients does not say that the product contains lactose, the presence of this carbohydrate can be judged by other components - the presence of milk powder, whey or cottage cheese.
• You should also be aware that lactose is included in some medicines. Milk sugar can be found in no-shpa, bifidumbacterin, motilium, cerucal, Enap, contraceptives and other drugs.
• Lactose is one of important components nutrition for children. It must be added to milk formulas in order to bring their composition closer to women's milk.