By the time your little one reaches the age of 2, he or she may suddenly start experiencing discomfort after eating certain foods like milk, cheese or ice cream. Unfortunately, this is a natural occurrence in some families, and has everything to do with the genetic codes. Once the problem is diagnosed it is really not that hard to care for your lactose intolerant child once you learn a few steps. The only issue will be making sure you are very mindful of what your child eats and not giving in when they want something that is going to cause a digestive issue. They won’t understand why they can’t have a bowl of ice cream if everyone else is!
First of all, you definitely need that professional diagnosis. Your next step will be to follow the recommended diet (or avoidance) of foods that cause problems. It can be hard because kids want what they want without understanding why they can’t, no matter how many times you explain. There are certain supplements that you can give them if they are going to be consuming lactose foods. If there is a special occasion where you just can’t avoid that ice cream or pizza coming at your child, a lactase supplement may help. You can also provide lactose-free milk at dinner to get the much-needed calcium in your child’s diet.
When shopping, learn to read the labels and understand what they mean if they say dairy-free. There may still be sugar in these products that are milk based. From an early age, work with your child to educate him or her on what may be eaten and what is not good for them to consume. Over time your child will learn why you limit foods and will be willing to learn alternatives for something they love! If you start early enough chances are they will not miss something they have never had in the first place.
