Contents
Lactase deficiency of a newborn – symptoms
The child is constantly restless and irritated. Parents listen to loud crying for hours. The whole family is awake, no one knows how to help the baby. The reason is that the baby is tormented by colic – sharp pains in the gastrointestinal tract. Most often, the causes of colic lie in lactase deficiency. Why does it arise? And what can be done to alleviate the condition of the child?
Lactase deficiency
Causes of lactase deficiency
Lactase is an enzyme required for the digestion of milk sugar (lactose). Lactase breaks down milk sugar, and its components are absorbed into the bloodstream through the intestinal mucosa. If there is not enough enzyme, unprocessed dairy food is transferred to the colon. The naturally occurring bacteria in the gut have to interact with undigested lactose. The result is painful symptoms in the stomach and intestines of the baby.
Lactase deficiency of a newborn is considered a transitional state. A baby is born with an underdeveloped gastrointestinal tract. But by 3-4 months, development reaches the norm, and the body begins to produce the required amount of lactase. Lactase deficiency occurs in half of healthy babies and 90% of premature babies. Very rarely, a lack of lactase is caused by genetic diseases.
Lactase deficiency in infants is provoked by the quality of milk and the way of feeding.
Slow digestion helps break down lactose. The baby should get more fat and less carbohydrates with milk. At the beginning of each breastfeeding session, the baby receives carbohydrates. The longer he sucks, the more fat the mother’s breast gives off.
If the baby releases too early, he will receive a diet rich in carbohydrates and poor in fat. This will lead to lactose digestion problems and colic. Breastfeeding mothers should allow the baby to suck as much as it needs. The baby instinctively chooses the right rhythm and time of sucking for himself. And then lactase deficiency will not bother him.
Sometimes lactase deficiency is caused by intestinal irritation – solid particles of complementary foods, allergies, medications. Allergies are often caused by excessive amounts of dairy products in the diet of a nursing mother. Once the irritation stops, lactase levels will return.
Symptoms of lactase deficiency
Improper digestion of milk sugar leads to the fact that food is not absorbed into the bloodstream, but ferments in the intestines. The first symptom that parents should pay attention to is the crying of the baby.
The cry is accompanied by the following signs:
• flatulence;
• bloating;
• spasms;
• irritability;
• insomnia;
• foul-smelling watery stools;
• redness and itching in the anus;
• belching, vomiting.
Symptoms begin 1–2 hours after breastfeeding or formula feeding.
Signs of lactase deficiency are very nonspecific. They can be easily confused with other disorders: irritable bowel syndrome, allergic reactions, intolerance to other saccharides. If the baby eats too much and quickly, similar symptoms are observed: colic, loose stools. The difference is that the child is gaining weight well, and with lactase deficiency, he loses weight.
Lactase deficiency in children goes away on its own, without medical intervention. But, in order to exclude other diseases, the child should be shown to the doctor.