Lactose intolerance in toddler?

[PurpleBugz]

I know toddlers need dairy. If I wish to cut dairy out of his diet what do I replace it with to give him the nutrients he needs?

He's always full of wind. It affects his sleep. Maybe he's in pain maybe he's just grumpy. He's 13 months never sleeps more than 3 hours between waking so im thinking an intolerance. Tried gluten as my daughter is sensitive to that but no improvement so now going to try dairy.

Where do I look for information? Obviously I would get a dr appointment if I could but they always full and while I wait I want to read up on it.

Ask your health visitor to refer you to the dietician.

It's much more likely to be the milk proteins rather than the sugars.

Have a read of this from Allergy UK

Try lactose free cows milk/dairy products before cutting dairy

You can get baby milk that is for children with milk allergy. Neocate or Neutramigen

https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/childrens-health/what-should-i-do-if-i-think-my-baby-is-allergic-or-intolerant-to-cows-milk/

Most likely to be CMPA - cow milk protein allergy as opposed to lactose which is the sugars

You would need to remove dairy from his diet and it could take upto 6 weeks to notice any improvement. Soya is best after cows milk. Look for one that’s fortified with vitamins ASDA own brand or Alpro growing up milk.

If he's cmpa then soya may be a problem too as the proteins are similar. Dieticians typically suggest oatly barista or mighty pea milk in my experience.

I'm going through the same at the moment. 13 month old was screaming every night in pain and had been dropping centiles. we went through so much gripe water and calpol. I did suspect a few months back that it could be related to milk but I'm still breastfeeding and was dreading having to cut out all dairy.

we saw a paediatrician last week about the growth loss and he wasn't concerned and said he was probably just meant to be small. he took some blood tests that we don't have the results back yet but I didnt realise then that the delayed type doesn't show in a blood test.

we've bitten the bullet and started dairy free at the weekend and he hasn't woken up crying in pain since! he now has a cold so is stil waking loads but not that pain type cry.

He never drank more than a couple of sips of cow milk in a sippy cup but now he downs cups of soya milk or oat (wont touch the £38 tin of neocate we bought though!). his appetite does seem to be improving too.

I'll see the gp this week to report back and see if we can get a proper diagnosis.

hope you find some help too.

@GetUpStandUp4 you don't need (and won't get) a formal diagnosis. Your diagnosis is removing cows milk from the diet, seeing a reduction in symptoms, then challenging by drinking a glass of milk (or the yogurt test which is 3 consecutive days of eating a yogurt) and seeing if symptoms return. It's the only way you can test for non-ige cmpa and no HCP can do it for you.