Lactose acts as the primary sugar, especially in cow’s milk and other dairy products. The yoghurt does not contain this sugar due to fermentation of lactose by the lactic acid bacteria. The body requires lactase enzyme in order to digest lactose. Lactose intolerance occurs when your body is not able to produce enough lactase enzyme. As a result of the absence of lactase enzyme, lactose stays in the intestines without being acted upon leading to gastro intestinal problems. The problems associated with this condition may be slightly uncomfortable along with several symptoms of lactose intolerance in babies, but they are usually not very dangerous.

What Are the Symptoms of Lactose Intolerance in Babies?

When your baby is lactose intolerant, you may notice some changes or signs in them especially after consuming a dairy product such as ice cream, cheese, milk shake, cottage cheese etc. These changes do not occur after consuming yoghurt. These signs and symptoms of lactose intolerance in babies include:

• Diarrhea
• Frothy acidic stools
• Gas
• Tummy pain
• Bloating

Sometimes your baby may react to yoghurt or even develop some other symptoms such as breathing difficulty, rashes, excessive vomiting or bloody stools; it could be milk allergy and not lactose intolerance. It is also important to note that some people who are lactose intolerant may not show symptoms when they consume small amounts of dairy products. However, others may tend to be uncomfortable even when they consume very small amounts of food containing lactose. If there is any symptoms of lactose intolerance in babies, it’s good to keep down a record of all the solid foods that you give to your baby and record or note down those foods which may aggravate the condition in your baby.

What Causes Lactose Intolerance in Babies?

According to studies and research, almost 70% of the total world’s population has this condition. The most prevalent form of lactose intolerance occurs mostly in adults and starts after the age of 5 years. Being Lactose intolerant is determined by varied factors, which include:

1. Genetics

Genetics or genes may be one of the determinants of lactose intolerance, and symptoms may begin mostly at the age of 5 years and beyond. This condition starts when the production of lactase slows down, thus leading to the full effect of this condition. Rarely do babies get born with this condition, and this is just one of the rare genetic factors. If the baby is born with this condition, then it means that the baby will be born completely with no lactase enzyme. This baby cannot even tolerate the mother’s breast milk. To this baby, a special formula that is free from lactose needs to be fed right away from birth. Both these lactose intolerance conditions are not curable.

2. Gastroenteritis Problems

Gastroenteritis may be one of the contributing factors to temporary intolerance, if your baby experiences some severe diarrhea; their body may have problems in terms of producing lactase. This can result in the baby being lactose intolerant for a few weeks; however, this condition is usually temporary and does not last for long.

3. Side Effects of a Disease

It may be due to long-term conditions affecting the intestines such as Crohn’s disease or celiac disease. This type of intolerance, however, improves gradually as the underlying disease is treated or comes under control.

In addition, most babies will not show clear symptoms of this condition not until they reach the age of 5 years. In some cases, your baby may develop or experience severe diarrhea or abdominal pain just after feeding. If this happens, it’s good to see the doctor. The doctor may examine the baby’s symptoms to determine if it is lactose intolerance. If it is so, you will be told to eliminate all the foods containing lactose from your baby’s diet for a few weeks to see if the baby’s condition normalizes. If you suspect milk allergy, the doctor can do further examination or investigation and give you guidelines on this, or refer you to a dietician.

What to Do If My Baby Is Lactose Intolerant

There is no treatment for lactose intolerance, but there are some things that you can consider which can be of great help to your baby when you find symptoms of lactose intolerance in babies and they include:

What to Do	Descriptions
Mix milk with other foods	In case your baby has temporary intolerance, you don’t have to stop feeding them with breast milk or any other milk if the baby has started taking solids. You can use yoghurt or mix the milk with cereals, it’s because some babies will tolerate certain or specific quantities of high-lactose foods before showing any symptoms especially when mixed or blended with a cereal.
Try low-lactose diet	If your child or baby has permanent kind of lactose intolerance, you can put them on a formula of soy milk or any other low-lactose diet that will allow low lactose intake which cannot compromise the baby’s health or condition.
Have a food diary for your child	People with this condition will vary greatly on how they react to different amounts of lactose in different foods; some may not react to small amounts of lactose while others may react to even the tiniest amount. Therefore, it’s important to keep track or record of what may have an extreme reaction to your baby when consumed in regard to lactose intolerance.
Balance the nutrients	You should ensure that you provide your baby with the nutrients required at their age. If you decide to eliminate dairy products, you should ensure that you include other foods that provide the same nutrients. Some of the foods which you can substitute with the dairy products include soymilk, fortified juices, leafy greens, tofu, and broccoli etc. In addition to these, you should also provide your baby with vitamins A and D, phosphorous as well as riboflavin.

Important Notes:

You might consult a dietician who can guide you on how to deal with this condition of your baby. There are many lactose-free formula and dairy products available in the market. If you are unable to provide your lactose intolerant baby with sufficient nutrients, you can talk with your doctor about including some supplements.

Looking for more information about lactose intolerance in babies? Check out the video below: