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What exactly is lactose intolerance?

Living
 Photo; Courtesy

Dear Dr. Ombeva,

My son has problems with eating foods that contain milk. He gets diarrhoea, gas or sometimes severe rashes when I feed him on dairy products. I have been told it’s lactose intolerance. What disease is that, and how can I help him? Ashley

Dear Ashley,

Lactose is a natural sugar found in milk from cows, goats and sheep. It makes up around 7 per cent of breast milk or infant formula. It provides around 40 per cent of your baby’s energy needs and helps the baby absorb calcium and iron. Lactose intolerance happens when the body cannot break down lactose.

Usually, the enzyme lactase, produced in small intestine, changes lactose into glucose and galactose – sugars that are easily absorbed. Sometimes babies don’t produce enough lactase to break down all the lactose, so the non-absorbed lactose passes through the gut without being digested and can ferment and lead to pain and bloating.

Most (70 per cent) of the world’s population has primary intolerance, where the body doesn’t produce enough lactase. In secondary intolerance, the lining of the babies gut is damaged by disease and temporarily doesn’t produce enough lactase. Without lactase, the lactose in milk doesn’t get absorbed. Bacteria in the gut feast on the lactose, producing lots of gas. This causes symptoms like wind/flatulence, pain and swelling in the tummy, discomfort, poor weight gain and diarrhoea.

Frothy green diarrhea occurs when non-absorbed lactose forces the intestines to retain excess water. Symptoms can occur from the first week of life up to six weeks or as long as six months. So it’s likely that your child could be lactose intolerant.

Note, however, that lactose intolerance doesn’t cause vomiting but food allergies do. Take your child to a paediatrician to help make the correct diagnosis. The treatment for lactose intolerance often depends on the cause, and the paediatrician and/or nutritionist will help you.

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