Mother, Come on, Get to Know More About Lactose Intolerance in Children

Does your child often experience diarrhea or stomach cramps shortly after drinking milk? It could be that your child is experiencing lactose intolerance, mom. But, no need to worry too much, Mother! This condition is actually quite common in children and can be overcome in a number of ways below. Lactose intolerance occurs when the body is unable to break down lactose due to lack of the enzyme lactase. Lactose is a form of sugar found in milk, and is often found in food products or sweet drinks that are loved by your child, such as milkshakes, ice cream, cakes, or bread.

Various Symptoms of Lactose Intolerance in Children

When the body produces only a small amount of the enzyme lactase, lactose cannot be absorbed by the small intestine and will enter the large intestine. In the large intestine, lactose is fermented into gas and acids. This is what then triggers symptoms of lactose intolerance, such as diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, flatulence, and stomach cramps. Symptoms of lactose intolerance will usually be seen within 30 minutes after consuming products that contain lactose. The more lactose consumed, the more severe the symptoms felt by sufferers of lactose intolerance.

How To Make Sure Your Child Has Lactose Intolerance

If you see symptoms of lactose intolerance in your child, you are advised not to give milk or dairy products to him for approximately 2 weeks, to see whether the symptoms improve. After two weeks, Mother can give back small amounts of dairy products. If symptoms of lactose intolerance re-emerge, immediately check with your child to the pediatrician. To find out if a child really has lactose intolerance, the doctor will do a hydrogen level test. In this test, the doctor will ask the child to consume drinks with high lactose levels. After that, the doctor will ask the child to blow the tube to take a breath sample. If the level of hydrogen in the breath is high, then it is certain that the child has lactose intolerance.

Steps to Overcome Symptoms of Lactose Intolerance in Children

How to deal with lactose intolerance can vary from child to child. But in principle, doctors and parents need to work together to be able to overcome the symptoms of lactose intolerance in children. Before deciding on the treatment to be given, the doctor will usually look at the child's age and medical history. In addition, the doctor will also find out specifically the tolerance of children to certain drugs or therapies. Children who experience lactose intolerance are advised to avoid dairy products. Even though dairy products contain calcium, protein, and vitamin D needed for growing children. Therefore, so that Little does not lack of nutrition, doctors will usually advise Mother to provide yogurt and cheese that is easier to digest than milk. In addition to yogurt and cheese, Mother can also provide Little Food that does not contain lactose but is rich in calcium, such as broccoli, cabbage vegetables, orange juice, and soybeans. Symptoms of lactose intolerance in children need to be addressed immediately because it can affect the growth and development. If you see symptoms of lactose intolerance in your child, you should consult your pediatrician to get the right treatment. You can also consult a nutritionist about a good alternative food or drink to be consumed by children who have lactose intolerance.