<<  Is lactose intolerance common the first year of
 life?  >>

Maryelle Vonlanthen, MD was at the LLLI Int'l Conference this summer speaking
about allergies and food intolerances in the breastfed baby.  She spent just
a few moments on lactose intolerance due to the fact that this condition in
babies is *extremely* rare.  It is so rare that some scientists believe it
doesn't even exist; that the baby in this case has some underlying additional
malabsorption condition.

A true primary lactose intolerant baby has been born without any lactase
which is needed to break down lactose, or milk sugar.  This baby will NOT be
able to tolerate breastmilk, as breastmilk contains lactose.  This is the
baby that will need the special lactose-free formula to survive.  We are not
talking colic, or transient diarrhea or fussiness here; this baby will be
SICK just about from birth and will not be gaining.  A similar condition is
galactosemia which occurs one in about every 85,000 births. (That's 47 babies
a year in the US!!)  These babies do not have the liver enzyme that changes
galactose to glucose.  Because of this, the baby is unable to tolerate any
feeding that includes lactose.  If they ingest any substance containing
lactose (including breastmilk) they will be critically ill.

This is a lifelong condition.  Individuals do not "outgrow" true lactose
intolerance, although some babies do "outgrow" cow's milk protein sensitivity
as they mature.

Although large number of adults develop lactose intolerance, they have
developed this slowly after the age of 7 or 8.

What is frequently being referred to as "lactose intolerance" in the
breastfed baby is cow's milk protein sensitivity/allergy/intolerance due to
the dairy protein coming through to the sensitive baby through mom's milk.

The lactose-free formulas "fix" the problem because it is "easier and less
trouble" then having mom look into her diet and eliminate the offending cow's
milk protein.

References are available in the Continuing Education Syllabus from LLLI.

Ruth Scuderi
Westfield, MA

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