Friday, September 24, 2010

Do You Recognize The Signs Associated With Milk Intolerance In Young Children?

By Erina Devine

The term lactose intolerant refers to the body not being able to produce enough amounts of lactose. This enzyme serves the purpose of digesting lactose which is present in all dairy products. It is the sugar present in cow?s milk, for example. When lactose does not get digested, it remains in the intestines leading to gastrointestinal problems.

Premature babies have a higher likelihood of having this condition. If your baby seems to have diarrhea too often, it is likely that he or she has lactose intolerance. This usually leads to the baby crying a lot due to pain, along with vomiting. In some situations, the baby may end up having eczema. Around 30-60 minutes after the baby has had milk, these signs may start showing up. Cow?s milk or that fed from the mother?s breast; both can cause problems.

The common symptoms include abdominal cramps and gas that prolongs till two hours following the time the baby was fed. Such symptoms not only show up because of milk, but due to any dairy product that has been consumed by the baby, such as yogurt or cheese.

The severity of this condition and the symptoms experienced may vary from one to another, as some babies require just a small amount of milk to experience the unpleasant effects, while for the rest a small amount does no harm.

Babies suffering from intolerance may experience much intense pain, causing them to be irritated and difficult to soothe. They may cry a lot and wince in pain, which makes it obvious to the mother that they are suffering. Sometimes, the caregiver may think that they are simply hungry, but when the crying persists, there is definitely something else wrong with the child.

Such a baby may not easily go to sleep, and while sleeping may wake up a number of times due to the pain being experienced. While they are sound asleep, they may wake up immediately as the pain shoots up.

About the Author:

No comments:

Post a Comment