What are the Lactose Intolerance Symptoms in Babies? – Causes & Advice
What is Lactose Intolerant?
Lactose intolerance is a serious condition that has captured the attention of most nutritionist.
As a parent, you should understand the lactose intolerance symptoms in babies to understand the best diet alternatives if your child suffers from this condition.
Lactose intolerance occurs when your child’s body fails to break down a sugar known as lactose into a more digestible form.
It is because your child fails to produce enough lactose, a digestive enzyme responsible for the breakdown of lactose.
We have come up with the symptoms of lactose intolerance in children to help you provide safe care for your child.
Symptoms of Lactose Intolerance in Toddlers
Severe Diarrhea
Your baby will experience loose stool. You should understand that he has a digestive problem due to failure his body to break down lactose for absorption.
As a result, unabsorbed lactose forces the intestines to retain excess water making your baby to diarrhea after feeding him with foods containing lactose such as breast milk.
Excessive Wind
Lactose intolerance causes your child experience burping or passing a lot of wind.
This symptom also tends to develop from one to several hours after feeding your baby with dairy products, milk or any products containing lactose.
Excessive wind means that your child there is gas in your baby’s stomach, which can also make him experience tummy pain.
Extreme wind is probably caused by slowed movement of food through the digestive track, leading to a buildup of carbon dioxide from bacteria.
Excessive wind in your baby’s stomach can cause gurgling or rumbling sounds in his belly.
Bloating in the Stomach
You will notice that your baby develops an abnormal and stomach swelling.
Besides, he will experience an increase in diameter of his abdomen. He is more likely to experience pain and stomach growing.
As a result, your child fails to settle as you increase the amount of lactose in his diet.
Failure to Gain Weight
Lactose intolerance is likely to make your baby lose weight. It is because his body fails to break down lactose, which is a major component of his diet.
The condition promotes digestive problems which make him experience malnutrition leading to weight loss.
You will also notice that your child fails to thrive since his body fails to absorb enough nutrients.
Failure to settle
Due to stomach pain and irritation, you will realize that your baby does not sleep throughout the night or cries abnormally.
It is because the bacteria in the stomach breaks down lactose and converts it to lactic acid and hydrogen.
This makes your baby’s bowel movement very acidic; as a result, the child feels irritated and fails to settle.
Conclusion
Once you note the symptoms discussed below in your child, you should consider taking him to your doctor. Lactose intolerance can affect your baby’s growth and weight.
Some symptoms such as severe diarrhea can make your baby get dehydrated.
You should, therefore, understand that the severity of these symptoms increases as you increase the amount of lactose in your child’s diet.
Consider reducing the amount of milk in your baby’s diet so as to lower the severity of these symptoms, if these symptoms persist seek medical attention.
What are the Lactose Intolerance Symptoms in Babies? – Causes & Advice
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