What is lactose intolerance?

Health visitor Dawn says: Cows' milk intolerance is an intolerance to either the protein component of milk or to lactose, which is a naturally occurring sugar found in cows' milk.

Symptoms include being unsettled, persistent crying, weight loss or failure to gain weight, reflux, vomiting, colic, burping, bloating, skin rashes, eczema, diarrhoea, constipation and shortness of breath.

Many babies grow out of it by the age of three and most will have grown out of it by age 5.

Although your doctor suggests your son has an intolerance, it does not mean that he needs to avoid all cows' milk products. But it's essential that tests are done to determine whether his cows' milk intolerance is to the protein or the lactose in milk.

If your baby is diagnosed as having an intolerance to cows' milk protein, he may still be able to have some cows' milk products. If it's confirmed that he is lactose intolerant, then he'll probably require a low-lactose diet.

In either case, you should be referred to a nutiritionist or dietitian and be recommended a formula and diet.

Start a discussion :: Print this article ::