Lactose Intolerant Kids – A Guide for Parents

Lactose intolerant kids are everywhere. If you thought that dealing with kids was easy, you are wrong. Kids these days have their own particular problems, which range from behavioral concerns to feeding issues, and a whole lot in between. So you will find that parents are often hard pressed to find the causes for these problems. But when it comes to feeding your kids, at least you can depend on Little Spoon Promo Code to give you a range of options to feed your kids on Little Spoon Food tours. This includes lactose-free foods. All these meals have been planned and are prepared under the professional guidance of nutritionists who pay a good amount of attention to kiddie needs and what goes into each prepared meal.    

A Joy to Behold

A sweet, well-dressed kid is a joy to behold. Once kids have learned to walk and talk, they start to assert their independence in little ways. While you may no doubt be pleased that they have gone past the crawling stage and can now move around freely, this poses a new kind of danger for parents. The question is: Where has your toddler gone to now? And what is he or she doing at this very moment? It’s vexing enough to trouble any parent.

Sweet Child of Mine

Yes, no matter how good or well-behaved your child seems on Instagram or Facebook, it’s a whole new adventure that awaits you every day when you try to control and manage your kids. Quite realistically, you will find that no two days are the ever the same. Some days will be less troublesome than others, but you can never be sure until you take an audit at the end of the day.

Feeding Troubles

Apart from behavioral problems that occur quite frequently from between 2 to 4 years of age, you may find that your kid also raises quite a tantrum at feeding time. So much so that you may have to enlist the help of your spouse or some other relative to get your toddler to eat the meal. If this occurs more than a few times and with alarming regularity, your child may be a victim of what is called food intolerance in medical circles. Sometimes these food intolerances lead to food allergies that are of course a reaction to the offending ingredients.

Types of Food Intolerances

After decades of research into this phenomenon, the scientific community has grouped the most common types of food intolerances into:

• Lactose Intolerance, referring to an inability to break down sugar in milk.

·         Gluten Intolerance, a protein found in wheat and grains.

·         Casein Intolerance, another substance found in milk.

• Egg Intolerance, referring to an inability to consume eggs.
• Intolerance for Almonds and Nuts, another common occurrence.
• Yeast Intolerance, a common ingredient in all baked goods.

We will now focus on Lactose Intolerance, since it is one of the most commonly occurring issues that parents and their kids face in the present times.

What is Lactose Intolerance?

Kids who are diagnosed as lactose intolerant lack the enzyme Lactase in their system. This results in the inability to break down sugar in milk so that it can be absorbed by their bodies.

Although it can occur in any population, research has indicated that the majority of ethnicities having lactose intolerance in the USA belong to African, Asian and Hispanic communities.   

Telltale Signs of Lactose Intolerance

In a person with lactose intolerance, the unabsorbed elements of the undigested milk move from the large intestine to the small intestine, and cause discomforts ranging from flatulence to abdominal pain, and dyspepsia to diarrhea. So if you find that your child is experiencing some kind of gastro-intestinal problems after having dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt, you are well advised to take your child to the doctor and find out whether he or she is lactose intolerant.

How is Lactose Intolerance Diagnosed?

The three most popular ways in which lactose intolerance is diagnosed are the following:

1.    Lactose Intolerance Test: This is a blood test to measure your kid’s reaction to a liquid that has high lactose content.

2.    Hydrogen Breath Test: This test calculates the hydrogen in your kid’s breath after consuming a drink that is high in lactose.

In the event your child is not fully digesting the lactose, this test will reflect a higher than normal level of hydrogen in their breath.

3.    Stool Acidity Test: This test measures the amount of lactic acid found in your kid’s stool sample.

The doctor will likely determine which type of test is best for your kid, administer the test and inform you of the results.    

Dealing with Lactose Intolerance

Once lactose intolerance has been diagnosed in your child, some precautions and caveats are necessary. These include the following:

• Unfortunately, there is no way to remove lactose intolerance, so the best way is just to avoid milk products in the diet altogether.
• Lactose-free products can be found in most supermarkets. Read the labels carefully before buying.
• Some kids have a lactose tolerance threshold. They can have up to ½ glass of milk before the condition hits.
• Switching to zero fat or low fat milk (up to 3% fat) may decrease the lactose intolerance threshold for some kids.
• Kids who are lactose intolerant may also develop deficiencies of calcium, Vitamin D, riboflavin and other protein deficiencies in their bodies, which must also be managed.
• Trying out cow milk substitutes such as almond milk, soy milk, rice milk or flax milk could be another solution to this problem. Just crush the seeds and mix with clear water. Do pass through a sieve to remove the extra elements.  
• Parents are also advised to be careful while giving their kids any items where milk has been added. This can also trigger allergic reactions.  

Hopefully, with all this knowledge at your fingertips, you will find it easier to handle lactose intolerance if your child is affected by it.

About the Author

David Rubens is a clinical psychologist who has often dealt with parent and child issues in his practice. He has recommended many tests concerning food intolerances to his colleagues. He is also a keen golf player on the weekends.   

Photo by Flash Dantz on Unsplash