There are many milk substitutes that a child with lactose intolerance can drink, including soy, almond, rice, hemp, and oat milk. Soy milk is a popular milk alternative, because it is a good source of calcium and protein.
If your child has lactose intolerance, you will need to reduce the amount of milk and dairy products in their diet. If your child has a milk allergy, you will need to alter their diet to avoid milk and dairy products completely.
If you think your baby is lactose intolerant, see your doctor. How is lactose intolerance treated? Your baby could try lactose-free formula for 1 to 4 weeks and then graded back on to breast milk or a standard infant formula once there have been no symptoms for a week and the bottom has healed.
Ignoring lactose intolerance can exacerbate the symptoms or cause additional health problems. It may also affect someone's quality of life and mood. Lactose intolerance, which results from the inability to break down lactose properly, may develop in childhood or early adulthood.
Lactose intolerance symptoms include wind, stomach pain, bloating, rumbling tummy and diarrhoea. Babies with lactose intolerance might also have nappy rash. Most breastfed babies with lactose intolerance can still breastfeed. See a GP about formula-fed babies.
For those with a sensitivity or allergy to dairy, soymilk provides adequate calories and protein for the growing toddler. Look for soymilk that is unsweetened and fortified with calcium and Vitamin D.
Nestle Nan Infant Formula Lactose Free 400g | Dis-Chem.
Aptamil® Lactose Free First Infant milk is a nutritionally complete, lactose free breastmilk substitute. Suitable as sole source of nutrition from birth to 6 months and as part of a weaning diet from 6 to 12 months. Contains DHA, as required by the legislation for all infant formula.
Loose stools
Sometimes your child might pass loose, watery, yellow and green coloured stools after two hours of consuming milk or any other dairy product. This could be a sign of lactose intolerance in the baby.
Low-Lactose Formulas
Examples include Similac 360 Total Care Sensitive, which has 98% less lactose than Similac Total Care, and Enfamil A+ Gentlease which is advertised as a low-lactose brand, not lactose-free.
Aptamil Gold+ Lactose Intolerance is a premium infant formula suitable for infants with lactose intolerance. Suitable for babies who are recovering from diarrhoea associated with lactose intolerance, it may also assist with colic or digestive discomfort stemming from undigested lactose.
A recent change to Nestlé's NAN H.A. 1 Gold infant formula has been accused of making babies sick and irritable, with parents claiming the “new and improved” formula came with side effects such as constant crying, rashes, dark green watery poo, dehydration and vomiting.
NAN EXPERTpro Lactose Intolerance has been specifically designed for formula fed babies from birth to help with symptoms such as wind or diarrhoea associated with lactose intolerance. Backed by over 155 years of infant nutrition expertise, Nestlé has helped to nurture generations of formula fed infants.
NAN AL 110 is a Formula for Special Medical Purposes (FSMP) for the Dietary Management of Infants with Lactose Intolerance. NAN AL 110 Lactose Free is a whey adapted lactose free formula with clinically proven Lactobacillus reuteri. It is intended for the dietary management of lactose intolerance and diarrhea.
Enter Enfamil NeuroPro Gentlease Infant Formula—a formula that has been clinically proven to reduce fussiness, crying, gas, and spit-up within 24 hours of starting. The proteins in this product are partially hydrolyzed (broken down) and easy for a sensitive tummy to handle.
Specialised infant formula prescribed by your doctor will be required. These include: Extensively hydrolysed: Alfare, Pepti Junior, Allerpro* and Novalac Allergy* Amino Acid based: Alfamino, Elecare and Neocate. Soy formula, if tolerated can be used from 6 months of age. Soy is the preferred option.
First infant formula is based on whey protein which is thought to be easier to digest than other types of formula. Unless a midwife, health visitor or GP suggests otherwise, first infant formula is the only formula your baby needs.
How can I tell? One way to check if your child has trouble digesting lactose is to take all the milk products out of your child's diet for two weeks and to then see if his or her symptoms improve. After two weeks, slowly reintroduce the products in small amounts each day to see if symptoms return.
The doctor may refer you to an allergist, who might do skin testing. In skin testing, the doctor or nurse will place a tiny bit of milk protein on the skin, then make a small scratch on the skin. If your child reacts to the allergen, the skin will swell a little in that area like an insect bite.
The delayed type of cow's milk allergy may mimic colic with fussiness and digestive gripes. However, certain features make cow's milk allergy more likely than pure colic. These include blood in the stools, diarrhoea or constipation, poor growth, excessive vomiting, associated eczema or wheezing.
Soya Milk. Soya milk has been thought to be the closest non dairy milk to cow's milk on the market. This is because of the taste and the nutritional value it contains. This is a perfect substitute if you are intolerant to dairy as it tastes great in teas, coffee or in your breakfast cereal.