If a child has an enzyme deficiency, proper nutrition. Digestion in the stomach

Mother's milk is a product that has been specially created to be ideal for infants. It contains proteins and fats that are quickly digested in the stomach and intestines. The drink contains an optimal balance of vitamins and minerals. Not a single manufacturer has yet been able to create a composition that would have the full range of necessary properties. However, the mother is unable to insure her child against the appearance of various problems with health. Lactose intolerance in infants is an unpleasant condition. Parents should know its causes and symptoms, as well as possible ways solving the problem.

What is lactose intolerance?

Women's milk contains a special component - lactose. This is essentially sugar that a child needs to get energy. He is directly involved in the formation process nervous system.

Sugar from milk must be completely absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. Lactase is a special enzyme that is produced by the intestinal mucosa. If it is produced in insufficient quantities, then lactose cannot be fully absorbed. The intestines do not have the necessary environment of microorganisms. Lactose intolerance leads to excessive gas formation. The situation occurs against the background of abdominal pain and bowel movements. The symptoms worsen the baby’s condition, so he becomes capricious.

In infants, this manifestation is called lactase deficiency. Some babies are also allergic to this product. However, experts attribute the situation to malfunction immune system. In this case, characteristic reactions do not occur in the esophagus and stomach.

The disease is dangerous, because against its background there is no possibility of digesting mother's milk. The optimal solution is a special mixture. In newborns, this pathology causes not only severe pain in the stomach and intestines. Lactase causes malfunctions in some internal organs and systems. Against the background of its consumption, acidity increases sharply, so the intestinal walls can be damaged. The disease prevents the baby from getting everything essential vitamins and minerals from food. If treatment is not started in time, the child may lag behind in development due to lack of necessary nutrition.

Main reasons

Before starting treatment, it is necessary to determine the driving mechanisms of intolerance:

The primary variant of the disease is diagnosed if the enterocytes in the baby’s body are normal. However, they cannot produce sufficient quantity lactase.
The gastrointestinal tract is not yet fully formed. This process, as a rule, ends only by the fourth month. After this, the child will be able to absorb lactase in full.
Disturbances in the functioning of the body are a consequence of gene disorders.
Functional impairment can also be of an “adult” nature. In this case, lactase will not be digested throughout life. With age, the situation can only get worse. It is important to identify in time this pathology and direct all efforts to eliminate it.
Lactase deficiency may also occur due to damage general structure enterocytes. The disease develops against the background of the spread of infection in the intestines and inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. intestinal tract.
Some children develop the pathology due to an allergic reaction to cow's milk or gluten. In this case, these products should be excluded from the diet completely.

In case of lactase deficiency, it is advisable to feed the child with a special mixture

Excess milk sugar is a situation in infants that has symptoms similar to lactose intolerance. In this case, the process of enzyme production occurs normally. However, the body receives an excess of lactose. Against this background, there arise unpleasant symptoms. The situation is quite often observed if the baby feeds only on the mother's foremilk. It contains an excessive amount of sugar.

Signs

Symptoms of lactose intolerance in infants become more pronounced in older age. At the same time, immediately after the baby is born, there are practically none. Only after a certain period do parents begin to notice:

Excessive gas formation, which leads to constant pain in the baby's tummy.
Mothers periodically begin to notice rumbling in the tummy and its excessive tension.
Disturbances in the formation of stool. You can see foam and bad smell. Yellow color also indicates the presence of pathology. Only on next stage As the disease progresses, it becomes green with an admixture of mucus.
The process of defecation occurs too often or, conversely, the baby becomes constipated.
After eating, the process of regurgitation occurs more often than usual.
Additionally, the baby has poor weight gain. The situation most often occurs in children who are bottle-fed.

If a child cannot digest lactose, this most often does not negatively affect appetite. They begin to eat actively, but after a couple of minutes they refuse to breastfeed. You can also observe periodic crying, spontaneous movements of the legs and arching in the back.

At excessive consumption milk sugar, the child behaves in a similar way. Among the main differences, good weight gain should be noted.

Features of diagnostics

It is important to recognize lactase intolerance in time. To do this, it is necessary to carry out the following activities:

From the mucous membrane small intestine it is necessary to take material for research. The procedure is called a biopsy. It requires the administration of anesthesia, so it is performed extremely rarely in young children.
For correct diagnosis You will need to create a lactose curve and a hydrogen test. This will require an oral dose of lactose. After completing this procedure, you will need to donate blood for analysis. Based on the results, a curve will be drawn up. The method may also involve the study of inhaled air. Unfortunately, the procedure can only cause discomfort in a baby. Additionally, it should be noted that today there are no indicators that would allow one to correctly analyze the amount of hydrogen.
The analysis must be carried out with stool. At the same time, the hydrogen content in them is assessed. Unfortunately, research in this area does not have a high degree of correctness. Today there are no uniform norms and rules that could be applied to all infants. Such an analysis does not make it possible to study carbohydrates according to all the necessary indicators.
The coprogram is used to identify increased acidity or excessive amount fatty acids. Lactose intolerance is diagnosed if the level is several times higher than normal.

To make a diagnosis you will need to donate blood

The diagnosis is most often made based on the entire complex of symptoms. Signs can only be assessed correctly by doctors. Parents should not self-medicate, because it can only lead to aggravation of the situation. When diagnosing deficiency, it is advisable to transfer the baby to a special version of the formula that does not contain components harmful to the body.

Features of treatment

Allergies to lactose and lactose intolerance are incredibly dangerous for the baby’s body. To prevent the situation from worsening, the following measures must be taken:

Breastfeeding should be arranged in such a way that the baby has the opportunity to reach not only the foremilk, but also the hindmilk. To do this, you should express a little of the lactation product before the process itself. During one meal, the baby should completely empty one breast. Nipple capture is also important. Thanks to this, milk sucking becomes more active. Mommy should not take the breast until the baby decides to let her go.
A woman should be careful about her own diet. Animal milk is completely excluded from it, because it is due to this that the disease is provoked. If the situation does not improve, then you will additionally need to exclude other milk products. Allergies quite often occur due to sweets and chocolate. A negative situation can be observed against the background of regular consumption of red fish and caviar.

As a rule, by constantly following these points, a woman saves her child from discomfort. Otherwise you will have to contact drug method treatment.

It involves the use of the following drugs:

The child will need to be given the artificial lactase enzyme regularly. The component is mixed with breast milk. It is important to perform this procedure every time you feed. Only a doctor can choose the correct dosage. Self-medication in this matter is not considered acceptable.
Some babies will need to switch to a diet that is completely or partially lactose-free. This option is used only as a last resort.

If the deficiency is secondary, then it is advisable to direct your efforts to eliminate the underlying disease. The situation may develop against the background of allergies, dysbiosis or other pathologies in the gastrointestinal tract.

The full course of treatment should be continued for several months. As a rule, after this the baby’s process of digesting milk sugar returns to normal. If the defect is genetic, then the child will have to adhere to a lactose-free menu all his life.

Today, lactose intolerance in children occurs quite often. However, the primary variant of the disease is rarely recorded. Most often, the situation becomes a consequence of an improperly adjusted lactation process. That is why doctors do not recommend immediately switching the baby to a lactose-free menu. At the first stage of the fight against the disease, it is advisable to try other methods. Otherwise, the baby increases the risk of developing serious problems with health.

Lactase deficiency is a common disease. It is especially common in infants. If the production of the lactase enzyme is insufficient, the child cannot digest lactose, a protein contained in milk. What to do with indigestible protein if such a problem is identified in your baby? “Popular about health” will tell you how this disease is treated.

A child cannot digest lactose - symptoms

By what signs can a mother assume that her child cannot digest lactose? In infants, this problem usually manifests itself as follows:

1. The baby takes the breast with appetite, but after a couple of minutes he stops sucking and begins to cry, pressing his legs to his chest and squirming.

2. The baby often spits up.

3. The stool acquires a specific sour smell, it contains lumps and foamy inclusions, the color of the stool is predominantly mustard, with a green accent.

4. The tummy is almost always swollen, and a loud rumbling can be heard.

5. Weight gain is absent or occurs slowly.

6. Small rashes may appear on the skin.

If you see similar symptoms, most likely, they are related to the so-called lactase deficiency. The baby's intestines do not produce enough of the enzyme that is supposed to break down lactose. However, you cannot make a diagnosis yourself, since many of the listed symptoms may be a sign of other diseases. Diagnosis is carried out only by pediatricians.

How is lactase deficiency diagnosed??

The most simple method diagnostics is laboratory analysis stool for its carbohydrate content. Normally, their content is stool does not exceed 0.25 percent.

To clarify the diagnosis, a diet is used that excludes milk, and in older children also other products containing lactose. If the child’s condition gradually normalizes, then lactase deficiency is confirmed. What to do with a child if milk protein is not digested?

How is lactase deficiency treated in children??

Treatment is always aimed at eliminating the cause of the disease, and there are two of them - an inflammatory process in the intestines (with allergies, for example), when enterocytes are damaged, this is the first cause. The second is insufficient production of the enzyme or its low activity. In the first case, treatment will be aimed not only at replenishing the lack of lactase, but also at eliminating the inflammatory process of the intestinal tract and relieving allergy symptoms. It is also important proper organization nutrition of the mother, because everything she eats goes with the milk to the baby. If allergens are present in her diet, the child’s intestines will be injured, which means less lactase will be produced.

Treatment of infants

The first thing pediatricians recommend if a child does not digest milk is to reduce or exclude it from the baby’s menu. But what if we're talking about about the baby? Confirmation of lactase deficiency does not always mean that you will have to give up breast milk. The pediatrician may recommend replenishing the enzyme deficiency in the baby’s body with the help of Lactase Baby or Lactase Enzyme.

Some children are restricted from consuming milk and dairy products. Infants are temporarily transferred to dairy-free mixtures soy based or combined nutrition. Sometimes it is advisable to use formulas to which lactase has already been added. It is recommended that mothers express foremilk, because it contains the most lactose protein.

Treatment of a child aged one year and older

If lactose is not digestible in older children, their treatment involves avoiding foods that contain it. milk sugar. What they include:

Whole milk from goats and cows.
Cheese.
Cottage cheese.
Yogurt.
Sour cream, etc.

In case of secondary lactase deficiency, which occurs when inflammatory process in the intestines, it is recommended to first eliminate the main problem - infection or allergy. In this case, treatment includes the whole complex measures:

1. Antihistamines are used.
2. Enterosorbents.
3. Antibiotics or intestinal antiseptics.
4. Probiotics.

When the main problem is solved and intestinal function is restored, it is gradually introduced into the child’s diet. fermented milk products while observing the reaction.

It is important to note that there is a hereditary lactase deficiency that cannot be treated. Such people produce little or no lactase, but there are very few such people. All other types of the disease can be treated. In premature babies, lactose begins to be absorbed as soon as the intestines become more mature. Typically, the symptoms of the disease cease to bother these babies by the sixth month of life.

So, what to do if your child cannot digest lactose? First, you should make sure that your assumption is correct. To do this, you need to contact your pediatrician and have your stool analyzed for carbohydrate content. Then you should follow the doctor’s recommendations regarding the diet prescribed for the baby. If we are talking about a baby, the mother should also be excluded from own diet dairy products, as well as sweets, fatty foods, citrus fruits, chocolate, smoked foods, in general, everything that can adversely affect the baby.

Most in a natural way feeding children under one year of age is breastfeeding, but in some cases the baby’s body cannot absorb either mother’s milk or milk formula made from cow's milk. This phenomenon is often called lactose (sugar) deficiency, although we need to talk about the symptoms of lactase deficiency.

Statistics show that every 5th newborn suffers from this disease. Symptoms appear very quickly and are usually pronounced. When the first signals appear, measures must be taken to establish good nutrition baby.

Some children's bodies cannot digest the protein contained in milk - this is lactase deficiency.

Terminology. Don't be confused!

Two similar terms: lactose and lactase mean completely different things. Lactose is milk sugar, of which breast milk contains up to 85%. It stimulates the absorption of microelements, promotes the formation of intestinal microflora, and is necessary for the construction and proper functioning of the immune system.

In the gastrointestinal tract, milk sugar decomposes, forming glucose and galactose. Glucose is the body’s main “fuel”; it covers 40% of the body’s energy needs. Galactose is necessary for the development of the central nervous system, as well as for the formation of the retina.

Lactase is not a sugar, but an enzyme that breaks down milk sugar into glucose and galactose in the gastrointestinal tract. It is produced by the newborn's intestines. The reason for poor absorption of milk is precisely the lack of the enzyme lactase in the baby’s body, because he receives a lot of milk sugar from his mother’s milk. Insufficient lactase production leads to a phenomenon called lactase intolerance, which is the same thing as lactose intolerance, which is sometimes mistakenly called lactose intolerance.

Lactase is an enzyme human body. Its task is to break down lactose contained in milk

Causes and types of disease

This article talks about typical ways to solve your issues, but each case is unique! If you want to find out from me how to solve your particular problem, ask your question. It's fast and free!

Whether a child is breastfed or formula-fed, the same factors lead to lactose intolerance. Milk sugar may not be absorbed by the body for 3 main reasons:

First of all, you need to pay attention to heredity. Genetic features can lead to the fact that the production of the lactase enzyme does not reach the required level. This type of disease is called primary lactase deficiency.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract can also lead to disruption of lactase production. Such consequences are possible with various infectious diseases, enterocolitis, as well as allergic reactions or the appearance of worms. This type of lactase deficiency is called secondary.
A premature or weakened baby may suffer from transit lactase deficiency.

There are 2 types of lactase deficiency: alactasia and hypolactasia. Alactasia is characterized by complete absence lactase production, hypolactasia is a lack of an enzyme produced by the body.

Dr. Komarovsky about lactase deficiency

The famous pediatrician Komarovsky believes that the disease does not occur as often as they say. In many cases, milk is not digested because children are overfed. There is enough lactase to digest the amount of milk a baby needs, but excessive feeding leads to extra stress on the body. A diet that involves some restriction of food intake can help in both diagnosis and treatment. To establish exact reason what is happening and determining appropriate measures treatment, you need to visit a gastroenterologist and undergo a series of tests.

How to determine that a child is sick?

The disease can manifest itself already in the first days of life, so mothers need to closely monitor the baby’s health and pay attention to his behavior. Ignoring characteristic manifestations milk intolerance, you can trigger the disease and cause significant harm to the health of the baby. Characteristic features are:

A child’s quick refusal to suckle, if the baby willingly takes the breast, but after a few minutes stops sucking, shows anxiety, and cries - this should alert the mother.
Abdominal pain and colic that appear during feeding or immediately after it are easily recognized by crying, accompanied by twisting of the legs; they can also be signs of lactase deficiency.
, turning into vomiting.
Bloating, loud rumbling.
Disorder or, as well as changes in the consistency, color and smell of stool. When the stool has, it foams. There is heterogeneity in the stool, it contains lumps, and the smell is sour. Up to 12 bowel movements per day can occur - this phenomenon is called fermentative dyspepsia.
, signaling the occurrence of atopic dermatitis. Since this disease is hereditary, parents should be prepared for such a reaction of the baby’s body to milk.
The child is not gaining weight or is gaining weight more slowly than he should. It is also possible to develop malnutrition, when the baby loses weight instead of gaining weight.

Regurgitation and vomiting after drinking milk may be a symptom of lactase deficiency

Whatever the manifestations of the disease, you should not make a diagnosis yourself. Signs of lactose intolerance are easily confused with symptoms of other gastrointestinal diseases. Dysbacteriosis and intestinal infections can give similar manifestations. An accurate diagnosis can only be made by a doctor based on the results of the necessary tests.

How is the disease diagnosed?

To determine whether the above symptoms are a consequence of lactose intolerance, proceed as follows:

The doctor examines the baby, gets acquainted with the peculiarities of his behavior, and studies the feeding procedure.
The next stage is dietary diagnostics. Products containing milk are excluded from the baby’s diet, or their quantity is sharply reduced.
A laboratory analysis of stool is performed to determine its carbohydrate content. U healthy baby the carbohydrate content in feces is 0.25%. With the disease, the stool becomes acidic, the pH value is less than 5.5.
It is also possible to examine the small intestine for lactase activity, but this is a very complex analysis, so it will not be carried out without sufficient evidence.
A genetic test should be done if similar cases have previously been observed in the family and there is a suspicion that the disease is hereditary.

For diagnostic purposes, the baby can be temporarily transferred to a formula that does not contain milk.

Help for a child suffering from lactase deficiency

After establishing accurate diagnosis and finding out the causes of the disease, the doctor prescribes appropriate treatment, and the treatment is not lactose deficiency, but lactase deficiency. When secondary lactase deficiency is detected, it is aimed at eliminating the cause of the disease. With primary, hereditary, therapeutic effects will be required throughout life. Scheme therapeutic measures must be developed by a specialist.

The baby cannot tolerate milk. What to do in this case:

give lactase during breastfeeding;
a lactose-free diet is established: depending on the form and severity of the disease, lactose consumption should be reduced or stopped altogether;
combination feeding replaces breastfeeding; up to 6 months, milk should be alternated with that recommended by a doctor;
when breastfeeding, the first portion of milk, since it contains the most large percentage lactose;
the choice of mixture is agreed with the doctor; he may recommend a special diet: soy-based, with the addition of lactase.

Preventive measures

The hereditary form cannot be eliminated by any means preventive measures, lactase deficiency cannot be treated, but parents in this case know about the danger in advance and must be prepared. In other cases, prevention can prevent the occurrence of the disease.

Moms need to pay attention infectious diseases gastrointestinal tract. Their prevention consists of observing hygiene requirements, monitoring the quality of products and avoiding contact with sick people.

Forecast

The prognosis for the disease is as follows:

hereditary primary form of lactase deficiency cannot be cured;
in case of secondary, arising as a result past illness, it is possible to restore lactase production partially or completely, the result depends on the severity of the disease and the correctness of the chosen treatment regimen;
the transient form is cured completely, it goes away as the gastrointestinal tract develops, and may disappear by 6 months.

If a child's lactose intolerance is hereditary, he will have to put up with it for the rest of his life.

Attentive attention to the health of the baby is the key successful fight with illness. Availability even light form accompanied by insufficient weight gain, can further lead to rickets, dysbacteriosis, developmental delays, muscle weakness and even seizures. Ignoring the symptoms of lactase deficiency can lead to dehydration, sudden weight loss, and mental retardation, one should not ignore the baby’s increased excitability, sleep disturbances, and frequent crying, especially if they are combined with defecation disorders and changes in stool.

The disease cannot be eliminated by a special diet, a lactose-free diet for a nursing mother. Her nutrition should be complete and sufficient. A nursing mother only needs to give up regular milk in favor of fermented milk products.

It is better to express the first portion of milk to reduce the amount of sugar reaching the baby with mother's milk. In addition, if there is a lot of milk, the baby will be full before he gets to the “hind” milk, which is richest in fats. You should also not change breasts during feeding for the same reasons. The fattier hind milk takes longer to digest, which helps your baby produce more lactase. Symptoms indicating lactase deficiency require immediate appeal see a doctor.

We were supposedly diagnosed with intolerance, but in the end we got to a competent pediatrician, who explained that problems with stool, abdominal pain, and cramps were the result of a lack of lactase, I fed the baby too often, she latched on to the breast every hour and the body did not have time to produce lactase. The situation returned to normal when I started feeding by the hour. But my niece has congenital intolerance, she was on a lactose-free formula for up to a year, at 6 months her daughter-in-law started giving both milk and sour milk. She makes her own yoghurts and cottage cheese at home.

Hello! The baby is 4 months old, the symptoms are: loose stool besides, he constantly poops in feeding time, in There are always some lumps in the stool, as soon as it eats it starts to cry a lot and press its legs to its tummy, the stool is often green, it spits up every other time, the tummy growls strongly during feeding (Often refuses to breastfeed (Now I have started to eat little at all, as soon as I give the breast I immediately scream. What is this? Lactase deficiency? I heard that the analysis of carbohydrates is not informative (
Hello, my whole family got sick in September 2018 intestinal infection, including a 4 month old baby. After an illness: the stomach growls after feeding, the breast is restless, it can suck for a few seconds and screams, arches, then it can kiss again, the stool is loose, but not always frequent (from 1 time a day to 6 times). Sleeps restlessly, wakes up with gas. This has been the case for three months now! Several times I saw streaks of blood in the stool! The pediatrician doesn't know what it could be. It only causes dysbacteriosis. But he cannot explain the cause of dysbiosis. Could streaks of blood be a consequence of prolonged lactase deficiency? Is it worth switching my child to a lactose-free formula? The gastroenterologist prescribed Lactazar. There have been no significant improvements since then. We accept it for a week. The child is 6 months old.
Good afternoon Please tell me what this could be. A 5 day old baby started spitting up after almost every feeding 50 grams fresh milk, sometimes a curdled mass. The stool has become liquid, it’s just dark water yellow and worries the tummy, often straining and grumbling in it. During all 5 days I ate diet food in the maternity hospital + ate green apples.
Hello. My daughter is 4 months old. She has been eating Malyutka since birth. I didn't have any milk. When she eats, she bends over. Grunts. She doesn't eat more than 90 grams. After feeding, belching goes away. When you hold her in your arms, she bends all over. A nightmare kicks his feet. We cannot live without Espumisan and Motilium. Please tell me what to do, maybe change the mixture.
Hello, the child is 1 month old, the stool is liquid and foamy almost from the first days, today mucus was found, transparent, in small quantities. What could it be and how to fight it? Thank you.
My baby is 1 month old and is breastfed. After feeding, the baby spits up, the stool was first flakes, then liquid foamy water, then mucus with blood. Now we are in the hospital, I am on a dairy-free diet, I stopped breastfeeding for a while, I was put on an amino acid formula for 3 days. We started breastfeeding again slowly, the symptoms recurred, loose stools, undigested milk. Rented for occult blood stool test is negative. The doctor said that breastfeeding is not possible, so he puts us on an amino acid formula for 6 months. Tell me what is this? And how you can maintain breastfeeding.
In a child for a long time constipation, goes to the toilet only with the help of Micralax. With the release of feces, I see a lot of rather large grains, as if the milk was not digested. Could it be that we have lactase deficiency? We are on the willow.
The baby is 2 months old. We breastfeed and supplement with formula. From birth. Our house is very liquid yellow chair so far, up to 15 times a day. Pediatricians prescribe a bunch different medications for the gastrointestinal tract, but nothing helps. Despite all this, the baby does not burp and has no fever. What could be the reason?

anonymously

Please tell me that a 10 month old child cannot eat anything other than goat milk. All attempts to introduce complementary foods end in vomiting and diarrhea. Now, even after milk, sometimes vomiting occurs; food is not digested. Nausea persists constantly. Prescribed enzymes do not help, neither do lacto and bifidum bacteria. The bacteriophages drank and developed diarrhea. There is still no diagnosis. Doctors don't say anything specific. Thanks in advance.

Remove from food goat milk and replace it immediately with the hydrolyzed Nutrilon Pepti Gastro mixture. When stool normalizes, introduce dairy-free, gluten-free porridge into complementary foods, starting with rice. Then add vegetable and meat puree. Possible food intolerance animal milk proteins. Diseases of the pancreas and others should also be excluded. Do general analysis blood, erythrocyte indices, general urine analysis, urine diastase, blood amylase, blood, glycated hemoglobin, "Liver tests" (ALT, AST, GGT, alkaline phosphatase, fractional bilirubin, total protein, albumin), coprogram, fecal pancreatic elastase, total Ig, organs abdominal cavity. For diagnosis you may need additional examinations.

Consultation with a gastroenterologist on the topic “The child does not digest food” is given for informational purposes only. Based on the results of the consultation received, please consult a doctor, including to identify possible contraindications.

About the consultant

Details

Pediatric gastroenterologist. Candidate of Medical Sciences.

Area of professional interests: correction of microbiocenosis in intestinal disorders And atopic dermatitis, the use of probiotics, bacteriophages, antiseptics and other drugs.

When asking a question, be sure to indicate:
- floor, exact age, height, the child’s weight at birth and at present, height and weight gain,
- feeding, availability of supplementary feeding, types of formulas and reactions to them,
- complementary foods or nutrition (types, volumes),
- presence of rash or dry skin,
- detailed complaints, stool frequency, reactions to foods and medications,
- name the drugs used, the results of the examinations carried out in full, indicating the size, structure of the organs and the conclusion of the examination,
- laboratory tests indicating units of measurement or laboratory reference standards,
- dates of the examinations submitted, indicating the use of drugs during testing.

Even the food that nature provided by rewarding a woman with breast milk may not be suitable for the baby and may even be harmful. It's all about enzymes that make it impossible to digest breast milk.

There is a disease that prevents the absorption of dairy products - lactase deficiency. And the hardest thing is for those parents whose children are faced with it in the first year of life, when milk is the main nutrition of the baby.

The difference between lactose deficiency and lactase deficiency is that lactose is milk sugar, which is the main part of the carbohydrates in milk, even breast milk, and lactase is an enzyme that helps break down lactose into particles so that it can be absorbed further.

A lack of the enzyme in the baby's body (lactase deficiency) leads to impaired absorption of lactose and poor tolerance to foods that contain milk sugar.

The importance of lactose for the child's body
Lactose is very important element for the gastrointestinal tract, it affects growth healthy microflora intestines, acting on the principles of a prebiotic.
Reduces the pH level of the intestinal contents
Accepts active participation in processes associated with the formation and development of the brain in the first month of life
Takes part in the synthesis of B vitamins
Helps absorb magnesium, calcium, manganese

Lactose increases the activity of its own enzymes

- baby's anxiety when feeding

- bloating, gas formation

- diarrhea, appears after each feeding, this is due to the fact that strong fermentation begins in the tummy, and diarrhea appears with great strength, the name is yellow foamy color, sour smell, the amount is directly related to feeding the baby (8-10 times a day)

- poor weight gain, causeless weight loss

- begins to lag behind in development

Symptoms begin to increase with the amount of milk consumed. In the first days of life, it is impossible to notice any symptoms, but in subsequent days the following begin to appear: increased gas formation, pain in the tummy, and a little later, loose stools.

Symptoms may vary from child to child, but there remains a clear connection between feedings and diarrhea.

A type of lactase deficiency

The variety manifests itself depending on how active the enzyme is that promotes the breakdown of lactose (lactose)

Primary lactase deficiency

Appears due to congenital absence enzyme. Primary lactase deficiency is a disease that is inherited.

Transient lactase deficiency

Very often it occurs in premature and weak babies, and after some time the baby begins to feel better and recovers. Enzyme activity is normalized within short term.

Secondary lactase deficiency

Symptoms of lactase deficiency can also be found with other enzyme disorders. Very rare and difficult to tolerate is a disorder when fructose and glucose are poorly absorbed. The child begins severe diarrhea, after taking foods that contain these substances.

Another disease that may be hidden behind the symptoms of lactase deficiency is galactosemia. It's rare genetic disease, which is inherited and is associated with metabolic disorders. As soon as any product that contains lactose enters the child’s body, severe symptoms that are dangerous to the baby’s life (jaundice, vomiting, drop in blood glucose, presence of sugar in the urine).

The main difference between lactase deficiency and galactosemia is that with lactase deficiency there is no vomiting, only regurgitation can be observed. If a child begins to vomit, you should immediately contact a specialist.

How to diagnose that a baby is not digesting breast milk

If a child develops diarrhea or other symptoms of illness, it is necessary to consult a specialist. To do this, you need to know exactly when the child’s diarrhea began, whether it is associated with feeding or with a change in the mother’s diet.

The doctor will prescribe a series of tests and examine the baby. The easiest test that will show whether a baby has carbohydrate intolerance is whether there are carbohydrates in the stool.

Since children's diet consists only of breast milk in the first six months, this analysis will show whether the child has digestive disorders and how carbohydrates are absorbed. It is done quite quickly and easily.

To make the most accurate diagnosis, a biopsy of the mucous membrane is required. But this is a very complex procedure, which is performed under general anesthesia.

IN at the moment Doctors diagnose lactase deficiency and prescribe a special drug that contains lactose. If after taking it the child begins to have symptoms, then this is lactase deficiency. If the medicine does not cause any reactions, then the child needs additional examinations and tests.

If diagnosed early, lactose deficiency is highly treatable.

One of the stages of treatment is special diet. If the baby is breastfed, the doctor prescribes special drugs that contain lactase. For babies who are on artificial feeding prescribe mixtures with minimum quantity lactose or those that do not contain lactose at all.

It is very important for parents to understand that they cannot refuse breastfeeding or combine it with artificial. You just need to give the baby special medications added to the expressed milk, and then calmly give the breast. Medicines must be given before each feeding. The drug and its quantity are selected individually by a specialist and as the baby’s own enzymes mature, the amount of the drug decreases. If the drug causes constipation, then it is necessary for the doctor to reduce the amount of lactase.

First feeding

For babies who have lactase deficiency, it is best to start their first complementary foods with cereals that do not contain gluten (rice, corn, buckwheat). You can cook it with mixtures that do not contain lactose or with water. If the child does not have problems with the tummy after introducing cereals, then vegetable purees can be introduced.

Due to the fact that children who have lactase deficiency do not gain weight well, they should be introduced to meat complementary foods earlier, at about 7 months.

All other products must be introduced according to the complementary feeding calendar.

After introducing a new product to children with lactase deficiency, it is necessary to carefully monitor the body’s reaction and, if anything happens, contact a specialist.

For children over one year old, it is necessary to replace dairy products with fermented milk, which are better digestible and easily tolerated.

Dr. Komarovsky will tell you about lactase and lactose