Every mother takes care of her baby’s health. Therefore, it is so important for her to carefully look after the baby in order to detect the primary symptoms of possible pathologies and start treating them in time. It is quite rare, but it is considered a condition dangerous for the child - congenital lactose intolerance, when the baby cannot absorb the mother’s milk. Children with a similar disease need a special diet. Because they are not allowed to consume dairy products, care must be taken to ensure that a fragile body in sufficient quantities assimilates vitamins D and calcium in other possible ways.
Lactose deficiency will be discussed in detail in this article.
Pathology Description
Lactose intolerance is a pathology, as a result of which the children's body is not able to independently absorb the protein that is found in milk. Such a diagnosis is voiced in the first months of the baby's life, since the baby in this period is fed only with breast milk. You need to know that the signs are becoming more vivid, it all depends on the amount of milk - if there is a lot of milk, then the consequences of such nutrition are more severely tolerated. Lactose deficiency can pass into adulthood.
What is lactase, lactose and its intolerance? Lactase is a special enzyme that is produced by intestinal cells. It is he who can break down lactose, which is the main ingredient in milk of various origins. Lactase should break down complex sugars into simple ones so that they are more rapidly absorbed into the intestinal wall of the child. These are the so-called galactose and glucose. Sugar is very important for our body - this is one of the main sources of energy. When very little lactose is produced in the intestine, or its synthesis has ceased altogether, such undigested milk will eventually lead to diarrhea. In such a milky environment, bacteria always start up, which, when they produce waste products, form gases - the main reason for bloating and colic.
How is lactose deficiency classified?
In appearance, lactose deficiency is divided into primary and secondary.
First view
In this case, lactase is produced in the intestine, its quantity is in order, but its effectiveness is at a reduced level, this is the main reason why milk is not absorbed by the body. Very rare cases when such an enzyme is not produced at all
The primary type of lactose deficiency has one subspecies - transient. Quite often observed in premature babies and may be the reason that lactase begins to be produced only from 37 weeks, and at a period of 34 weeks, such an enzyme is just starting to be produced by the body. The transient type of insufficiency often quickly disappears within a couple of weeks after birth, when the baby grows and grows stronger.
What else is lactose deficiency?
Secondary type of failure
With this type of lactase deficiency, enterocytes are affected, it is because of this that the production of the enzyme is disrupted. Very often, the cause of this type of disease is an allergic reaction in the intestine, as well as various inflammatory processes. A timely approach to treatment and diagnosis can cope well with this ailment.
Symptoms of lactose deficiency
How does the disease manifest itself? The following symptoms are possible:
- In addition to bloating, rumbling in the abdomen, gas, and seething often appear.
- Painful colic occurs due to air in the intestines.
- The most noticeable sign of the disease is severe bloating after each feeding.
- The baby may feel pain when bowels are empty.
- It is necessary to pay attention to the child's stool. You can smell sour milk from feces. If this is the secondary form, then the baby's stool may be green, lumps and mucus may be present. This is a common symptom of lactose deficiency in children under one year old.
- In some cases, the child may have contractions, this is impossible to miss. The kid becomes very moody, begins to wriggle with his whole body. He will begin to try to pull his legs to his stomach and cry a lot.
- The child is constantly vomiting, he often begins to spit up.
- Heavily dehydrated body in a child. This symptom begins to appear already in its first days, if we are dealing with a pronounced lack of lactose.
- The kid is very sluggish and lacks interest in the world around him.
- The baby sleeps badly.
Despite the above symptoms, lactose deficiency in children has almost no bad effect on appetite. A child can rush to his chest with great zeal, but after a while he will begin to cry and press his legs to his stomach at the same time.
In the early days, lactose deficiency is almost not manifested in any way - the signs are cumulative in nature and are increasing. First of all, bloating makes itself felt, then the baby begins to feel pain in the tummy, and at the final stage - the chair is broken. Symptoms of lactose deficiency in children up to a year should be known to all parents.
It is extremely important: almost all of the listed symptoms are characteristic primarily during primary lactose intolerance. Secondary insufficiency in addition to these signs is expressed, first of all, in the presence of green stools, mucus and lumps in the feces.
How to pass an analysis for lactose deficiency?
Diagnosis of the disease
There are few signs of disease to accurately diagnose a disease. For the correct diagnosis and the appointment of appropriate treatment, various laboratory studies are necessary. Usually, the doctor provides referrals for necessary tests.
- Carbohydrate analysis of feces.
It is necessary in order to determine the concentration of carbohydrates. This is the fastest, easiest and cheapest way to find out how much carbohydrate is in feces. Based on these results, it is possible to determine how well lactose is absorbed. The normal carbohydrate content in children under one year of age is not more than 0.25. Minor deviations of 0.5% are the norm, but if this number exceeds 1%, then this will be a serious case. There are also disadvantages to this analysis - according to the results, it is possible to identify the presence of lactose intolerance, but it is impossible to find out the cause of this pathology.
What else to test for lactose deficiency?
This analysis will determine how active lactase is in the digestive tract. This is a simple method for detecting milk protein intolerance.
- Analysis of feces for dysbiosis.
If the allergic origin of a child’s disease is suspected, they may be referred for another blood test.
Dr. Komarovsky conducted statistics, during which he found out that lactose intolerance affects 18% of the total number of newborns. This is almost every fifth baby who was born in our country. With this ailment, adults can easily tolerate this disease, since they do not need to consume one milk, and they have the opportunity to go on a diet that would exclude lactose. With young children, this method will not work, because mother’s milk is the basis of nutrition for them. So, it is better to detect the disease and then use all the necessary methods as early as possible so that the child has time to adapt.
Genetic lactose deficiency test
Important in the diagnosis is a molecular genetic study for a predisposition to lactase deficiency. The analysis will help in the differential diagnosis of the causes of lactose malabsorption and in the selection of an appropriate diet.
Treatment
If the baby’s diagnosis is still confirmed, this does not mean that mother’s milk should be abandoned in his diet. A mother can also calmly continue breastfeeding her baby, while giving him medicines that contain lactase before starting feeding (Lactase Enzyme and Lactase Baby). Such a disease must be treated as soon as possible, so that you can protect yourself from future complications.
Doses prescribed by a doctor are strictly individual. As the enzymatic system of the infant begins to develop, the dose of the drug will gradually decrease. What needs to be done in order to prepare the medicinal mixture before feeding:
- Whatever brand of medicine you purchase, the actions are usually the same. It is necessary to express a little milk - about 10-15 will be quite enough.
- Pour the right amount of powder into milk. It should be borne in mind that “Lactase Baby” to dilute in liquids is much faster and easier than “Lactase Enzyme”.
- It is necessary to allow the mixture to infuse in order for fermentation to take place, it takes about 3-5 minutes. At this time, lactase will break down the milk carbohydrates found in liquid front milk.
- Give the finished mixture to the baby before feeding, and then continue to feed him as usual.
- Give the child a drug diluted in milk before feeding.
Features of complementary foods
For children with altered stools with lactose deficiency, complementary foods are introduced a little earlier. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure that the diet is varied and balanced in nutrients.
How can I feed a baby?
It is very important to prepare cereals and mashed potatoes from vegetables without milk, use diluted lactose-free mixtures for this.
Juices from fruits and berries can begin to be given as early as 6 months, but it is also important to monitor the possible occurrence of an allergic reaction. Various dairy products, such as cheese, live yoghurts, can be added a little.
Milk and other dairy products in the diet of a child who is older than one year old should be replaced with low-lactose foods. If you can’t get them, then you can give the baby lactase in capsules.
If there is intolerance to milk protein, the child should not eat any food that contains condensed milk and other milk fillers. And many sweets will have to be forgotten.
Treatment of lactose deficiency should be carried out only under the supervision of a physician.
What else needs to be excluded from the diet?
It is necessary to minimize consumption or to completely eliminate:
- caffeine. Do not drink tea and coffee, they contain this substance;
- sugar;
- pastries;
- do not take alcohol in any form and strength;
- you need to carefully read the labels on the products in stores, there are no products with dyes and preservatives (this will be extremely difficult to implement, since the main assortment of stores contains these substances);
- food with a high content of hot spices, pickles - cucumbers, mushrooms and others;
- no matter how fresh it is to eat dishes without seasonings - but this is necessary during breastfeeding;
- Do not eat what can cause an allergy in a child, for example, various exotic fruits or berries, and you can’t eat red vegetables;
- Do not eat yeast bread;
- legumes;
- grapes.
Diet for lactose deficiency is very important.
What can be eaten?
The following recommendations should be followed:
- a good habit is to often drink different compotes from dried apricots or prunes (it is better to start with prunes, because dried apricots can be allergenic);
- fresh vegetables and berries (exclude allergens from them), vegetables can be eaten boiled, stewed and raw;
- eat as many cereals as possible; a wonderful way is to eat germinated wheat germ;
- if you really want something tasty, you can eat almonds, jelly or candy, but do not abuse;
- from six months you can already start eating exotic fruits in small quantities, you can also eat some chocolate in the morning, but only black, as it contains the least amount of milk;
- when the child is six months old, you can slowly return fried foods to the diet, but only with a small amount of vegetable oil.
Products with lactose deficiency should be carefully selected.
Successful recovery largely depends on the nutrition of the child and mother, as well as on the administration of medicines that contain the right amount of lactase.