Cow’s milk is not recommended for children under 1 year old. There are not enough of certain nutrients in it. Cow’s milk formula has several nutrients, but some children have problems with digesting cow’s milk and cow’s milk based formula. Children who are lactose intolerant don’t produce enough lactase, an enzyme in the digestive tract that breaks down lactose. Children allergic to milk have similar allergic reactions to a chemical in the milk.
If your child is lactose intolerant, the small intestine is unable to digest and absorb lactose. Instead, the small intestine passes the lactose on to the large intestine to break down. In the large intestine, lactose is fermented by gut bacteria, releasing carbon dioxide, hydrogen and other byproducts. This process creates several symptoms you can recognize and seek professional medical advice. Your child’s primary care physician can test for lactose intolerance, but the answer to both allergic and lactose intolerant is to choose an alternative milk formula. The symptoms are not subtle. If you aren’t sure whether it was a one-time thing, start tracking your child’s feeding times and ingredients to match to reactions.
Here is a list of the top 5 symptoms to watch for in lactose intolerant babies.
1. Loose Stools And Gas After Cow’s Milk Or Milk Products
When your child has an ice cream treat and then has gas problems, it could be a sign of lactose intolerance. Cheese, cow’s milk based formula, milk, sour cream etc. are all cow’s milk products unless they specifically say otherwise. If your child consistently gets gas when your child eats dairy, it could be a sign of lactose intolerance.
2. Watery Diarrhea With Gas.
Because the large intestine digestive process on lactose has a laxative effect, your heavenly cherub may suffer hellish bouts of diarrhea with gas. Start tracking the foods baby is eating or drinking prior to the episode.
3. Stomach Bloating, Gas And Nausea
By now you may be noticing every symptom of lactose intolerance involves gas. That is due to that chemical reaction and release of gases in the intestines. When your tiny munchkin begins looking more than every like buddha, with upset tummy and gas releases, track the foods.
4. Skin Rash And Frequent Colds
The health of lactose intolerant children whose diet mainly consists of formula based on cow’s milk, may suffer. babies who cannot digest and absorb the nutrients in their formula may be prone to skin rash and frequent colds. Keeping a food diary for your child can help you connect the dots on lactose intolerance or food allergies.
5. Abdominal Pain and Cramping
This symptom can accompany both lactose intolerance and milk allergies. A one off may indicate an infection, but as a chronic occurrence, tummy pain and cramping needs to be discussed with your child’s primary care physician.
Medicineplus.gov notes that if your child has a milk allergy or is lactose intolerant, “…your health care provider may recommend soy milk. But many children who are allergic to milk are also allergic to soy.” When children can’t have dairy or soy, there are other options to get enough protein, calcium and other minerals. Sammy’s Milk is based on free range goats milk. To meet the needs of your child, Sammy’s Milk has lots of clean gut healthy ingredients, like goat’s milk, avocado oil, molasses, fish oil, inulin, minerals and methylated B vitamins for easy digestion. The formula is FDA and pediatrician approved, and produced in a clean room.
When your baby can’t tolerate cow’s milk or soymilk formulas, get the clean nutrition Sammy’s Milk offers.