Lactose intolerence.

[calvemjoe]

Just wondered if a lactose intolerence would show up from a skin prick test for milk.

[NotQuiteCockney]

I think you have to do some sort of special gut test. Lactose is all about whether you've got the right enzymes/bacteria in your gut to digest milk, it's not really about your blood, iyswim.

[calvemjoe]

my ds has been off dairy for the last 3 days cause he has had liquid poo and he is much better now. he never really has solid poo and has been tested for milk allergy but not lactose intolerence. wondered if lactose could be the problem.

[bettythebuilder]

I was diagnosed after a hydrogen breath test, done on the NHS. As NQC says, Lactose intolerance is all about the ability of the gut to digest lactose, so I wouldn't think a skin test would work.

I don't know how practical a breath test would be for your ds, tho, because you have to drink a cup of water with lactose in it, then blow into the test equipment every 15 mins.

[Gem13]

I was told to keep DS off cows milk for 6 weeks once to help his gut recover following some really grim runny poos.

He had goats milk over those few weeks and then we switched him back. He's been pretty much fine ever since and we're 2 years on now.

[Gem13]

Not what you were asking but was a follow up to your second post.

[tatt]

no skin prick tests only work if IgE is involved and it isn't in lactose intolerance. They don't seem that keen on doing the breath test round here, don't know why - maybe a reliability issue? Best way to find out seems to be to avoid milk then reintroduce - if it causes problems when you reintroduce its lactose intolerance. However there are various degress of it - some people can digest small amounts - and it may be temporary following an infection/ antibiotics. The probiotics in live yoghurt help digest lactose as does lactase - an enzyme you can get in some health stores or in some gripe waters.

Unfortunately none of this helps my lactose intolernt family member who gets worse

[DanceOfThePeachyPlumFairy]

The probiotic yoghurt helps DS1 digest enough milk to have some on his cereal in the mornings, but not DS3 or myself... ds3 can get away with yoghurt, I can't get away with ANYTHING at hte moment (been curled up on sofa today after stomach cramps worse than labour pains after breakfast cuppa, which was just a teaspoon of skimmed milk in a mug of tea).

lactose intolerance is hugely variable in its effects and triggers. I wouldn't be willing though to have a breath test if it meant ingesting lactose first ATM- diarrhoea / pains / migraines enough of a dx for me!

With DS3, the fact of the family history / poor weight gain and vomiting and diarrhoea was enough for Paed to prescribe Enfamil lactofree formula, which he has a script for until he is at least 3 1/2.

[7777777]

hi im interested in you saying you have stomach cramps like labour.my 14th month old we has been suffering belly cramps until taken off dairy etc. me and my family have terrible trouble consoling him and he can be in pain and screaming for hours on end. perhaps he has lactose interolerance and not dairy allergy. i feel even sorrier for him now if the pain is that bad.

[calvemjoe]

Thanks everyone, runs are back now he is back on milk, bless his little heart, Em x

[tatt]

sounds like milk intolerance then but most of them grow out of it by 3.