Lactose intolerance in 7yo

[KMK_Mama]

My daughter has had tummy issues on and off for about a 1 1/2 years. She would go through bouts of tummy ache/throwing up/diarrhea but right when we thought we had it narrowed down to dairy, it would completely stop...only to strike again a few weeks later. About 2 weeks ago it got really bad and struck every single time she ate even small amounts of dairy. I bought her some Lactaid milk and some "Dairy Ease" lactase tablets to experiment and all her symptoms are gone so now I know that it was lactose intolerance the whole time.

Is it odd that she is lactose intolerant such a young age? Should I just continue on with the lactaid and the lactase tablets or is there more to it that I need to look into? Is there something that can CAUSE lactose intolerance? I know Celiac can but she has no signs of that as far as I can tell.

[JessicaS]

One can develop an intolerance or an allergy to a food at any age and Dairy is the most common.

You might consider having her tested for an allergy. I didn't know I was allergic to Dairy until I was 30.

[JaneS]

From my experience and reading lactose intolerance can also be a SYMPTOM of other food intolerances or gut damage.

There is "genetically based" lactose intolerance, where certain populations just do not have the gene to direct their intestines to produce the lactase enzyme to digest lactose.

And then there is "secondary lactose intolerance"
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lac...SECTION=causes
which simply means something is cause the gut lining to be inflamed and thus it cannot produce the lactase enzyme.

Lactase is produced at the tip of the intestinal villi, the tiny hair like projections of your small intestine. So really any food allergy or intestinal inflammation can cause it to be damaged.

Yes, celiac is the most common b/c gluten literally mows down the intestinal villi. Once a celiac patient eliminates gluten, and the villi regrow, they can digest lactose again. It is not an allergy but a functional intolerance. As I understand it, other food allergies and conditions such as Crohn's or IBD can cause the same problem.

I would get a CDSA to see if there is intestinal inflammation and/or gut flora imbalance.

You couild do allergy testing at www.enterolab.com or an IgG ALCAT or ELISA which can uncover gluten intolerance as well as a gluten allergy.

I do not know if there is genetic testing for lactose intolerance, what is her ethnic background? You are more likely to have a genetic link if you are Asian or Native American vs. a traditional dairy eating ancestry like Northern European.

I know of many people in real life who are lactose intolerant but can do raw dairy. Also probiotics can be very effective, b/c they can help heal a damaged gut and help produce lactase.

[KMK_Mama]

Originally Posted by abimommy

One can develop an intolerance or an allergy to a food at any age and Dairy is the most common.

You might consider having her tested for an allergy. I didn't know I was allergic to Dairy until I was 30.

I am allergic to milk as well (and was diagnosed when I was 30) but her symptoms are completely different than mine. Also, since the lactase enzymes are working, it wouldn't be an "allergy"....

[JessicaS]

Originally Posted by KMK_Mama

I am allergic to milk as well (and was diagnosed when I was 30) but her symptoms are completely different than mine. Also, since the lactase enzymes are working, it wouldn't be an "allergy"....

Generally allergies are not genetic but milk is an exception to that. If you are allergic to milk and she is showing symptoms I would look into it further

Different people can have different symptoms.