A small number of babies suffer from intolerance to lactose, sometimes referred
to as "milk sugar". Your child's body possesses an enzyme called lactase which
is normally found in the small intestine. The function of this enzyme is to attach itself to the sugar (lactose) and break it down for use by the body.
A very small number of children are born without an adequate amount of lactase to cope with the amount of sugar a child takes in.This is a very rare condition and is referred to as congenital lactose deficiency. The more common reason why a child may have a deficiency of the enzyme lactase is because they have experienced a viral infection in the gut (gastro-enteritis) and the viral particles have damaged the sites in the gut wall that store the enzyme.
This is referred to as acquired lactose intolerance and these children experience the same symptoms as those who were born with a congenital deficiency. These children will not necessarily be intolerant to lactose all their life.
Symptoms of lactase deficiency in infants include;
o A bloated stomach.
o Abdominal pain or cramps.
o Gas.
o Explosive watery diarrhoea that has a sweet smell to it.
While one can obtain artificial formulas that are entirely lactose free (soy formulas for example or D-Lac, a denatured cows' milk formula in which the lactose has been taken out), breast milk remains rich in lactose.
Medications
Medications for lactose intolerance (such as Lactaid) have not been shown to be helpful and should not be given to babies. Soy-based or hypoallergenic formulas that are lactose-free are usually given to replace regular formulas.
Chiropractic - A Safe Alternative
While fussy irritable babies generally respond very well to gentle, safe chiropractic care, those babies who have lactose intolerance problems require special attention from your chiropractor who is well aware of these problems.
When you first visit your chiropractor with your baby a very careful clinical history will be taken from you and the detail you give at this time will pretty much tell your chiropractor there is an intolerance problem.
A physical examination will usually confirm this. Once it has been determined that your child is not reacting well to lactose, your chiropractor will, in addition to giving chiropractic treatment, advise you on how best to feed your baby to minimize contact with the sugars that are causing the problems.
In bottle fed babies this advice will usually be along the lines of changing formula to a lactose free variety. In breastfed babies however, one cannot avoid the contact with lactose as it is so abundant in mothers' milk. Years of clinical research has shown that despite the reaction to the lactose, unless the baby's symptoms are intolerable it is best to continue breastfeeding.
Your chiropractor will closely monitor your baby's weight to make sure appropriate gains are being made. On occasion it will be necessary to have your baby seen by a medical practitioner so appropriate tests can be performed. Your chiropractor is trained to recognize the signs and symptoms which would necessitate such a referral and will not hesitate to work closely with your doctor to get the best outcome for your baby.
Gentle, Sale & Effective Health Care
When my daughter was just a few weeks old, she was very colicky, suffering from stomach pains and
gas. She would scream and scream for hours on end, and all the books and information that I read at the
time said that there was not much to be done except to cuddle her and wait for it to pass.
I gave her a chiropractic exam and. I was so glad I did! A small and gentle adjustment helped expel all the trapped wind and I had a happy baby again! Sometimes when a baby has common symptoms such as the tummy pains and gas of lactose intolerance, it is easy to think they are normal, and will just go away.
But how much better to get them checked out, especially if there is a simple solution to take away baby's
pain and give you back your peace of mind. Is your baby fussy and irritable? Are you having difficulty getting your baby to feed and sleep well? Why not see your chiropractor today and give your baby the benefits of gentle safe and effective health care the chiropractic way - naturally?
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