anyone know if there's a test for cows milk INTOLERANCE (ie not allergy)?

[fihi]

DS has been ALLERGY TESTED when he was 2.6 -it was neg, but now almost 7yrs and still reacts horribly to any 'cow' foods, including dairy, gelatine and beef.DS2 (4yrs) appears the same and has been df from birth, but wierd toddler dd is totally fine with cow's milk etc. Saw stuff on TV this morning that said people who say that they have intolerances are just doing it to be TRENDY (What?a 7yr old?) and it really PSS me off!

hi there isn't a real test for intolerances, many alternative practitioners say they can test for them but there is no real evidence. The only thing you can do is a proper exclusion diet (excluding ALL foods with any trace of cow's milk or beef protein in them), then reintroduce the offending foods and see what difference it makes. You have probably done that already given that you've been through the experience with both your sons.

I get annoyed about people dismissing intolerances as well, but I think the problem is partly that some people do jump on bandwagons and assume they are intolerant to milk, gluten or whatever, just because they've read it in a magazine or their kinesiologist told them to avoid it. I've certainly talked to people who say they have a problem with milk, but will avoid cheese one day and let themselves have ice cream the next, or something silly like that. Or they will buy baked goods without thinking that there might be skimmed milk powder hidden in there somewhere. Cow's milk is so ubiquitous you have to be really careful to avoid it properly, as I'm sure you know. Ds1 had a cow's milk and soya intolerance when he was younger and I feel very lucky we don't have to do all the label reading any more.

anyway my 'bible' is The Complete Guide to Food Allergy and Intolerance by Jonathan Brostoff and Linda Gamlyn. It's a great book which explains the difference between allergies and food intolerances, including why the first have diagnostic tests and the second don't. But the authors do acknowledge that many people have food sensitivities that can't be classed as a classical allergic reaction - and they know how much it can affect them. If you haven't seen it before I would really recommend this book (and I'm not related to either of the authors ).

THANK YOU mummypig what a fab answer! will go get hold of your bible it sounds fab, didn't kno such a book existed. u r a star! ta 4 all the info (and it's reassuring to hear there are other people on my planet!)

ds has problem with cows milk and products-were veggie so not sure on meat.so we tried goats products as easier to digest and slightly less lactose.it worked brilliantly!worth a go.also has all the goodness of cows milk.
im now learning how to cook to try to avoid cows products hidden in things!

isnt dairy intolerance often lactose intolerance?
dd had excema which cleared up when she stopped drinking five bottles ofmilk a day. still there, but a zillion times better.
also, she would sometimes vomit if she had milk in the later part of the day. stopped that, and she seems fine now.
i think someimes children also grow out of it.

wierd answer coming -we think my ds's are not intolerant to lactose, apparently it's one of the other proteins or sugars in cows milk, (and some other 'sugar-free' foods like juice and even calpol!) but goats stuff has kept us in family meals for the past 5yrs. it's why i wanted to see if there was any sort of test anyone knew about for intolerances but it looks like the answer's a big NO. will just have to keep on in same old way and hope they do grow out of it!

YES there is a test for lactose intolerance, and it's available on the NHS.

It's called a hydrogen breath test. Very simple, you drink a glass of water with lactose in, then every 15 minutes blow into a tube that measures the hydrogen in your breath.
Someone who can fully digest lactose produces no hydrogen, if you can't digest lactose you do produce hyrdogen.

I had the test about 8 yrs ago now, and was diagnosed lactose intolerant. I've now cut out all lactose, and am tonnes better for it!

oooh sounds interesting bettythebuilder.might ask gp about that.how hard is it for you?

thanks betty - me thinking same as moljam

glad to hear avoiding lactose has improved your life, betty. yes I forgot there were tests for lactose intolerance, and also for coeliac disease.

fihi, you could try the lactose intolerance test but if your family have been okay with goat's milk it seems highly likely (to me) it's cow's milk protein your sons are intolerant to instead. Especially as your ds1 reacts to gelatine and beef - which are both predominantly protein (although I must admit I'm surprised by the gelatine one, perhaps he's actually reacting to an additive often found with gelatine?)

anyway i hope my 'bible' is of some use, it certainly was for me.

soz, am jumping back on this thread a bit late
Cutting out lactose hasn't been easy - a shopping trip would take hours at first as I check out all the ingredients lists. Eating out can also be a problem.
however, things have got easier as labels on products have improved, and I've found alternative dairy free products. Still miss out on things like twiglets and milk chocolate but I'm so much better now, that I don't really miss those things.