Can you DEVELOP a milk intolerance?

[Hilary]

My youngest son has been fine with milk (and plenty of it) up until now. He is 14 months. Suddenly, this week, every time he has any milk, he is sick. I thought it was a bug at first (and maybe it started off that way) but am almost sure it is just the milk which is causing it now.

I thought that if you were going to have an allergy/intolerance to something, you would have it from the beginning and always have it (although I guess children can outgrow things like eczema)

Someone once told me that when her children are ill, she always stops giving them milk because it makes them worse but they have it again when they are better. Is this a well known fact or just works for her?

I'd be grateful for any offerings of advice/information. Thanks.

Hi Hilary, I can't help you with the allergy side of things but I do know that the human stomach has to employ enzymes to break down the cow's milk proteins. These are the same enzymes used by the body when you catch a 'bug' to destroy it, therefore if you give milk to a person when they are fighting a bug in the stomach it has to temporarily send the enzymes to break this down and so prolongs the life of the bug. (Sorry very basic terms there, but that's the way I understand it best!)That'll be why your friend stops her children's milk for that period, it doesn't make it 'worse' but will prolong it. That's also why cow's formula fed babies need specially drops to break down the lactose in the feed if they are suffering a stomach bug.

Hilary, you don't say if you breast fed, but if you did then I would imagine that your ds hasn't been drinking cows milk for all that long (well they say 12 months don't they?) and maybe a reaction could occur after a couple of months?? But if he's used to formula then I really don't know that answer, sorry...

Hope the first info is of some use to you

Hilary - I developed a reaction to milk in my mid teens.
There has been some stuff on Mumsnet in the past about stopping giving milk if children are sick - can't remember which thread though.

Lizzer, I stopped breastfeeding him at 9 months, he had formula until 12 months and has been on normal milk since then.

Thanks, sml, I'll have a look on some likely looking threads when I get a chance.

He was sick twice this morning after dh had given him some milk but we have given him no milk since and he hasn't been sick again. BUT when do I reintroduce it?

I know when my ds had a d&v bug a few months ago (he'd have been about 15 months), he couldn't keep down milk at all. We stopped giving him any for about a week and then gradually re-introduced it without any problem.

During the time he couldn't keep down food either, we introduced him to diluted flat Irn Bru (good Scottish lad!) and Coke, just to keep him hydrated and his sugar level up. (But I hasten to add, he's now back to drinking plain water during the day!)

Why not leave it a couple of days, to give his stomach time to settle and then try again.

Thanks guys, you've really put my mind at rest.

Hilary- I know you feel better but I thought I'd add that your son will be fine even if he never drinks milk again ! He can get calcium in many other ways. My son hates milk and never drinks it. He does eat yogourt. He is thriving.