When I eat, my tummy bulges, growls and hurts.. Mom says that some kind of insufficiency is to blame for this, because of it I can’t have milk... But what will I eat?

The reasons for a baby's tummy to swell or have diarrhea can be different, from natural colic to the ingestion of dangerous bacteria in the baby's body.. Many mothers associate digestive problems in children with lactase deficiency.. What is this diagnosis, and what to do if you suspect this disease in a baby? With such questions, we came to the pediatrician Natalia Geiko.

What does the diagnosis of lactase deficiency mean

First of all, the doctor recommends that mothers calm down, explaining that a violation of the digestibility of milk by a child's body may not be lactase deficiency.. Bloating, regurgitation, constipation, anxiety while feeding a child, frequent loose stools (8-10 times a day) with a sour smell and undigested lumps of milk - all this can be in completely healthy children of the first years of life, as the Internet publication reports.. net “Only a doctor can make a conclusion about lactase deficiency if the tests show that the child’s lactase (an enzyme that breaks down milk sugar) is produced in insufficient quantities or is not produced at all. As a result, milk sugar cannot be broken down in the baby's small intestine, where it should be.. The breakdown of lactose occurs already in the large intestine.. This leads not only to bloating, pain, diarrhea, but also to a number of other problems, ”comments the doctor..

What you need to pay attention to:.

- the child does not gain weight within 2 months;

- often watery stools;

- there is a rash on the baby's skin;

- the baby is worried about constipation with dense feces that cannot come out;

- the baby has low hemoglobin If you observe most of these symptoms, you should consult a doctor. The doctor may recommend tests for the content of carbohydrates in the stool, biopsy of the intestinal mucosa, determine the acidity of the stool, undergo genetic and respiratory tests.

What to do if the diagnosis of lactase deficiency is confirmed?

Congenital lactase deficiency, in which it is necessary to refuse milk and dairy products, is rare. More often than not, it is acquired. After the course of treatment, the body's work is restored, and the baby can eat milk as usual..

How to avoid acquired lactase deficiency?

To protect the child from infection with dangerous bacteria and parasites, it is necessary to wash your hands and your baby as often as possible, make sure that toys and everything that the baby puts in the mouth are clean.. At a party, on a walk and in the clinic, you need to wipe the baby’s hands with Helen Harper Baby wet wipes. They easily cleanse delicate children's skin without leaving sticky residue.. Wipes are dermatologically tested and recommended by pediatricians.

You see, mommy! I don't have any deficiency.. So give me your milk and don't be afraid, I'm healthy and my tummy doesn't hurt at all.

parents. ua.