Lactose intolerance: symptoms, ways of detection and prevention

Lactose intolerance, the symptoms of which we will introduce a little lower, may occur in children for various reasons. However, at the root of such a deviation, there is almost always a deficiency in the baby's enzyme called lactase. It is this substance that can split lactose disaccharide into galactose and glucose, which then enter the human blood circulation system to ensure all energy chains.

Lactose intolerance: symptoms in children (primary)

Typically, intolerance to milk sugar manifests itself immediately or a couple of hours after the child drinks a drink that includes milk. In addition, the deficiency of lactase in the baby's body can be felt even after eating such products as cheese, yogurt, ice cream, cream, sour cream, cakes, chocolate, butter, etc.

If you notice that after the above meal your child has become uncomfortable, then, most likely, he has lactose intolerance. Symptoms of this deviation are as follows:

• Cramping pain in the abdomen, or rather in its middle part (just above the navel);
• Regular diarrhea;
• Persistent nausea, and in rare cases vomiting is possible;
• Bloating or flatulence.

If these problems occur, then lactose intolerance can be suspected.

Symptoms in newborn infants (rarer)

It is worth noting that all the above signs of allergy to milk sugar can be expressed in completely different degrees. In this regard, it can be difficult to understand that the child has this deviation, rather than a banal intestinal disorder.

However, in addition to the primary signs, this disease can also occur atypical symptoms, which manifest themselves in the form:

• Headaches;
• Condition of prostration;
• Skin rashes.

But even here to reveal the true cause of lactose intolerance in newborns is problematic enough. By the way, the severity of these symptoms, as well as their shape, are individual. Most often, they depend on the severity of the disease and on the amount of milk sugar that was consumed by the child.

How to treat?

Intolerance to lactose, the symptoms of which are individual for each individual child, can not be treated. That is why mothers, whose children are subject to this deviation, should carefully monitor the diet of their child. In other words, children should completely or partially avoid the use of products such as milk drinks and other ingredients that include the presented component.

If the disease has acquired character (for example, as a result of complications after such intestinal disease as celiac disease), then under the condition of long treatment the child can gradually return to normal diet.

By the way, such a deviation as lactose intolerance, the symptoms of which were presented above, can be detected not only by monitoring their baby, but also as follows:

• Special oral test;
• Test for breathing hydrogen.