10 Signs Your Kid is Dairy Intolerant
Dec 04 2013 · 0 comments · Articles
Most dairy intolerance develops between the ages of 2 and 5 years old. Babies typically produce lactase (the enzyme required for the small intestine to break down the proteins and sugars naturally found in milk) upon birth as they need it to digest breast milk . By age 3, many children show signs of being intolerant to dairy. Lactose intolerance is common in the general US population by the age of 20 years. In Asian-American, African-American, and Native American populations, it is considered normal to be lactose intolerant.
It is important to note that dairy intolerance is not the same as milk allergy. While an individual may have both, he or she may also simply be unable to digest milk proteins without having an actual histamine or other immune response. This post covers the former, not the latter. A milk allergy is a separate condition than I cover here.
1 – Skin rash – Skin rashes are common and the source of them is often not discernible. If your child breaks out in a rash within a few hours of dairy consumption, or within 24-36 hours after an increased dairy consumption, it may be a signal that his or her body is challenged by it.
2 – Abdominal pain, including cramping – When the small intestine is unable to break down the lactose in milk, pain can easily ensue.
3 – Gas & borborygmi (loud tummy sounds)
4 – Nausea and/ or vomiting – Often this occurs within 2 hours of consumption, but it can also be a chronic low grade issue. Especially if you notice your child’s appetite is diminished for a few hours after consuming dairy.
5 – Acidic bowel movements – These occur because the body cannot digest the lactose in the small intestine. When this occurs it is then passed on to the large intestine, where it combines with the normal bacteria of the colon and becomes acidic. Stool can be tested for acidity, and often you can smell an acrid quality when your little one’s poops become acidic.
6 – Frequent colds & flus – When the small intestine and colon become gummed up with undigested milk proteins, the body has a less than optimal flora environment. Couple this with an excess of phlegm accumulating in the lung and you’ve definitely got a vulnerable kiddo’s immune system.
7 – Runny nose that doesn’t clear up with the end of a cold or flu – Often the body will attempt to discharge excess mucus build up on-goingly. This build-up is from the undigested dairy and other sludge your darling sweetie’s little body has been accumulating in the face of a dairy intolerance.
8 – Sluggish or lethargic behavior – Energy comes from properly digested and assimilated foods, high in nutrients – many of which are absorbed through the lining of the small intestine. When our systems are challenged with products our unique bodies find offensive, we wind up with fatigue, lethargy, and less than optimal energy due to less than optimal nutrient absorption and an overtaxed digestion.
9 – Phlegmy cough that lasts longer than 2-3 weeks – While there may be many causes of an ongoing phlegmy cough, it may also be another sign that your child’s body is accumulating excess mucus, possible due to intolerance for dairy.
10 – Bad breath – When the body cannot digest lactose, the lactose becomes metabolized by bacteria in the body, which then produces hydrogen and methane as byproducts. The methane can be detected on the breath as a result.
