Lactase insufficiencyPhoto: Getty
Causes of lactase deficiency
Lactase is an enzyme necessary fordigestion of milk sugar (lactose). Lactase breaks down milk sugar, and its components are absorbed into the blood through the intestinal mucosa. If there is not enough enzyme, unprocessed dairy food moves into the large intestine. Natural bacteria living in the intestine have to interact with undigested lactose. The result is painful symptoms in the stomach and intestines of the infant. Lactase deficiency in newborns is considered a transitional condition. The child is born with an underdeveloped gastrointestinal tract. But by 3-4 months, development reaches the norm, and the body begins to produce the required amount of lactase. Lactase deficiency occurs in half of healthy children and 90% of premature babies. Very rarely, lactase deficiency is caused by genetic diseases. Lactase deficiency in infants is provoked by the quality of milk and the method of feeding. Slow digestion promotes the breakdown of lactose. The baby should receive more fat and fewer carbohydrates with milk. At the beginning of each breastfeeding session, the baby receives carbohydrates. The longer he sucks, the more fat the mother's breast gives off. If the baby lets go of the breast too early, he will receive food rich in carbohydrates and poor in fat. This will lead to problems with lactose digestion and colic. Nursing mothers should allow the baby to suck as much as he needs. The baby instinctively chooses the right rhythm and time of sucking. And then lactase deficiency will not bother him. Sometimes lactase deficiency is caused by intestinal irritation - solid particles of complementary foods, allergies, medications. Allergies are often caused by excessive amounts of dairy products in the diet of a nursing mother. As soon as the irritation stops, the lactase level will be restored.
Symptoms of lactase deficiency
Incorrect digestion of milk sugarleads to the fact that food is not absorbed into the blood, but ferments in the intestines. The first symptom that parents should pay attention to is the baby's crying. The cry is accompanied by the following signs: - flatulence; - bloating; - spasms; - irritability; - insomnia; - foul-smelling watery stools; - redness and itching in the anus; - belching, vomiting. Symptoms appear 1-2 hours after breastfeeding or artificial milk formula. Signs of lactase deficiency are very nonspecific. They can easily be confused with other disorders: irritable bowel syndrome, allergic reactions, intolerance to other saccharides. If a baby eats too much and too quickly, similar symptoms are observed: colic, loose stools. The difference is that the child gains weight well, and with lactase deficiency - loses weight. Lactase deficiency in children goes away on its own, without medical intervention. But to exclude other diseases, the child should be shown to a doctor.
