Intolerance testing

[Sugarmag]

Hi. I'm sure there have been threads on them before but I tried searching with no luck. So I'm wondering what anyone knows about testing for dairy intolerance. I'm pretty sure DS has a dairy intolerance (def not an allergy - seems to cause wind, diorrhea, sickness, sore tummy etc). I say "pretty sure" because I've never had any definite proof, only my own experience/intuition as a parent. We did consult a dietician once but she was useless.
I'm not overly concerned about his diet which is currently completely dairy-free. I've gotten pretty used to cooking without dairy for him and always carrying dairy-free snacks and biscuits with me. But yesterday we were at a birthday party and he had a fairy cake in his mouth before I knew it. He's 2 1/2 and will be starting nursery in August so I'm worried this will become more of an issue as time goes on. Plus soon he'll be attending birthday parties without me and it's going to be hard for him not to be able to eat what all the other kids eat.
So what i'm wondering is if anyone knows a)if there are any definite ways of testing for a dairy intolernace other than at home trial and error and b)if it makes a difference whether the intolerance is to cow's milk or lactose and how you can tell.
Any info greatly apprecieated - THANKS!

hi Sugarmag,
try this lactose intolerance link: here

I also have a dairy intolerance, it is to cows milk only (Im OK with goats and sheeps milk).
The symptoms are tiredness, headaches, aching limbs, runny nose and general "cotton wool head" feeling. (not the same as your ds by the sound of it?) Mine is definitely not lactose intolerance, as I am OK with other milks.

I don't know about any definitive tests, Im afraid, but hth.

PS: Ive seen loads of lactose free dairy stuff in the shops, have you tried that?

Hmmm, ds is only 2 1/2 so it's hard to know about symptoms like headaches and aching limbs and "cotton wool head" feeling - if it's hard for you to describe imagine trying to determine if a toddler feels that way!

Like I said, I'm used to buying & cooking with dairy-free products, that isn't my real concern. It's the fact that over the next year he's going to be in more and more situations where I won't be the one cooking/providing his meals so I'd love to know for sure if he is definitely intolerant and if so, exactly what is it he needs to avoid.

thanks for the linke BTW.