Temp lactose intolerance after diahorrea?

[LuvileeJubilee]

Anyone have any experience of this? 6mo DS has had diahorrea for 8 days now and HV says he might be over the virus that caused it (DH and me have also been ill so pretty sure it's a virus) but that gut bacteria can be damaged, causing temporary lactose intolerance.

DS was doing really well with BLW for just over a week with veg and fruit but we've called a halt til he's over this.

Our choices appear to be:

1. Starve him for 24hrs of his usual Aptamil giving only Dioralyte

2. switch to lactose-free formula (for how long though???)

3. as option 1 but giving him toast, baby rice made up with water in addition to Dioralyte

WWYD?

So stressed and if one more person or HCP says 'give him a biscuit' I will scream my BLW head off. He hasn't had babyrice but if it's the best thing, will give it. Or bananas? Heeeellppp!

I would give milk a miss, stewed apples are good at firming things up and allow vegetables but not much other fruit. And lots of water and dioralyte.

This is a question for your HV or doc , I think - some babies with temp. LI can tolerate formula, but you need medical advice with a baby who is this poorly, not a talkboard!

I've spoken to and seen several HCPs tiktok but want to know what other mums have done. When told by a HV to give a rusk for DS to munch I'm not filled with faith tbh.

All HcPs have done is say 'yep he has diahorrea' and confirmed he's not dehydrated.

Also I think you misunderstand - we don't know whether or not he has temporary LI or not, we are trying to find out why the diahorrea has gone on this long. HV said temp LI might have occurred due to the bug. If we cut out formula weshould be able to establish if it is LI.

I get you - see the doc, then.

Diarrhoea in a baby this young that lasts this length of time is worrisome, and I agree the HV sounds unhelpful :(

I know, 8 days is a long time by my Internet research but I feel I'm being brushed off by HCPs

He's so little, I don't want to starve him, milk is his only source of calories. But that's what they said. Nhs website says give milk alongside Dioralyte but if he does now have a temporary lactose intolerance brought on by the runs then milk will just keep it going! I've given two bottles now of lactose-free, cross fingers it'll make a difference and if not, that the virus runs its course quickly.

Just wish someone would say 'do X' where X will be the best thing for my little sausage. Feels like babies are lesser beings, that they should just put up with having the shits. He's never had them before, we knowits a virus. HV couldn't get us in to see doc today but already saw him Fri and he was equally un helpful.

Oh god sorry for rant. Just sofrustrated.

Hi, I rarely post but had a very similar experience to you and was beyond frustrated so just sharing what we did.

After a virus with an accompanying upset stomach our 7 mo old was diagnosed with a temporary lactose intolerance. I had breastfed until 6 mo, and he had then been on aptamil without problems. After nearly a fortnight with a runny tummy and umpteen visits to our GP we were told to go with the 24 hours on dioralyte and very basic food. It was hell as he loves his milk. The diarrhoea improved slightly and then carried on - by now he had raging nappy rash and thrush.

At no point was LF milk mentioned to me, I did some research and out of desperation bought some Cow&Gate LF in Boots. I went back to the Dr and asked if it was ok to try this (probably about 4 weeks in with dairrhoea now), she agreed immediately. Within a week we saw a vast improvement, within 2 weeks he was a different kid. We had several follow up apponitments with GP who was happy with his weight gain whilst on the new formula (he had always been a great weight but obviously with a prolonged runny tummy had dropped). She even suggested we keep him on it until we switched to cows milk at a year, which we did. He is now 15mo, hppily on cows milk with no reoccuring problems at all but definitely needed a good length of time for his tummy to recover. I had never heard of it before!

Thanks for posting that bootus gives me hope that the lactose free will help. How awful that the doc didn't immediately suggest it to you. We were advised to starve him and only give Dioralyte, it just went against all my instincts - I had the pharmacist on the phone to the manufacturers as I was sure it couldn't be right! At least your 7mo could have some food, I had barely started with solids when this started so didnt want to start shoving rusks in him. Hopefully the LF formula will work... he took it fine anyway, have heard some babies don't like it.

Did your baby remain on it for the rest ofthe year then? The HV said it has less fat and not as nutritious as formula. Wont be so critical once we start solids but he's such a strong wee trooper normally I don't want to inhibit him. Which is what continuing to give him his usual milk was doing, I suspect

All formula is closely monitored and it will have all the essential stuff in it, hv sounds a nightmare tbh.

Apologies for the late response LJ. Agree with what MNP has said; I think all formula has what it needs in it. Obv I can only speak from personal experience but oddly my DS suddenly started drinking more (from the first bottle) on the LF formula than he previously had with Aptamil and if I remember correctly it had a slightly higher fat content than Aptamil. Either which way he was very happy on it hence our reasoning to keep him on it until moved onto 'proper' milk. I got the distinct impression our doc hadnt really pushed the lf formula thing because of the expense...

Hope your lo is better soon.