Why is the use of dairy by lactose intolerant children beneficial?
Dr. Grand: Nutritionists recommend that lactose intolerant children consume dairy because it’s rich in calcium, protein and vitamin D. Lactose intolerance is not a food allergy, in which a person might suffer a dangerous reaction, but a symptom that can grow or decrease in severity according to how much lactose a child consumes. Symptoms of intolerance can be alleviated by reintroducing dairy into the diet in small quantities. This allows the bacteria in the colon to adapt to the increasing carbohydrate load by digesting what was not digested in the small intestine. Are many babies thought to be lactose intolerant when they really have an allergy to cow’s milk proteins? Dr. Grand: Yes. Almost all infants can tolerate lactose, as it is in breast milk and formulas. Which age group typically suffers from lactose intolerance? Dr. Grand: The age at which lactase levels fall is variable among ethnic groups, but is typically between ages 2 and 18. Almost no one develops intolerance before age
