What to do for a lactose sensitive one year old?

Jessica - posted on 12/04/2011

When my daughter turned one I switched her at 13 months to whole milk and because she was sensitive to it (not allergic) and it hurt her tummy she got sick more frequently and stopped gaining weight...we switched her to Enfragrow formula at night and milk mixed with formula both served warm...she did much better that way.

Bridget - posted on 12/04/2011

I have given my now 2.5 yr old whole lactaid milk since he was showing similar lactose intolerant signs around the same age. So far so good.

Lisa - posted on 12/04/2011

So I've thought a bit more - as much as it broke my heart I had my son Colin tested for everything. All allergies. Anemia. Nothing really helped. Trust your gut & go with what works. Colin still cannot digest red meat - the professioanls are not sure why & neither am I. He gets not butter or margaraine or wheat if I can...no eggs either which is hard. I have to check every label, every ingredient, every "night be processed in a plant that produces peanut butter, milk, and eggs" my son gets sauted chicken & broccoli, slamon & asparagus, tofu & squash, all in extra virgin olive oil & no cheese no butter no eggs aka no Bread becasue he may have a gluten problem. Some kids are lucky to grow out of it. Some don't. Colin responded well to no eggs, Lactaid milk, limited wheat, limited red meat, and as much organic as I could afford. I hope your little babe is okay l fairs better than my little boy. It's a blessing and a challenge. My Colin is still a happy boy & for that I'm grateful. Good luckb

Cheryl - posted on 12/04/2011

You really need to take her to a doctor. My son had a problem with the protein in milk not the lactose. My daughter has fructose malabsorption. Both could not tolerate milk as little ones, but both were fine on it by the time they were 3. So many problems with so many different solutions that you need to seek professional help. Otherwise you are guessing and doing your little one a disservice.

ANDREA - posted on 12/04/2011

my girls and I ALL have lactose issues....my first daughter became extremely constipated (also needed reflux meds) and still gets stomach aches if she has too much (like 3 bites of cheese)....my second got constipated from soy formula but lactose increases her mucous just like me....I get itchy/goopy eyes and my allergy sypmtoms increase 10-fold....it affects people in many ways

Jayme - posted on 12/04/2011

Try lactaid it has helped both my boys you should see a difference within a week if it helps... Hope this helps.

ANDREA - posted on 12/04/2011

lactose-free milk, Lactaid ice cream, ice cream toppings at DQ, meat sticks rather than string cheese, they have vegan products, but I haven't tried many.....read your food labels....olive oil rather than butter or margarine (both whey based)...if you are very strict at first and eliminate all lactose, you should be able to tell in about a week......after that slowly allow some little by little to see how much she tolerates....GOOD LUCK!

Sarah - posted on 12/04/2011

If she were lactose intolerant, there would be projectile vomiting and diarrhea involved (at least for my daughter that were the byproducts of regular milk). I would say it's most likely a growth spurt or teething that's causing the sleep issues.

Nonya - posted on 12/04/2011

my daughter did the same thing, we had to switch her to lactaid and then it went away pray you fig it out

Lisa - posted on 12/04/2011

I have had my son on Almond Milk since 9 months (he's severely allergic to milk and we found this out at 15 months). We tried the different kinds of options: soy still bothered his tummy, goat caused a reaction, and almond milk has a great amount of vitamin D. He's as healthy as healthy can be and just about ready to turn 4. If you started reading labels, you'll find that kids are inundated with Casein and Whey proteins in most processed foods, so we just steer clear of these as well. Good luck! I hope she grows out of it!

Lisa - posted on 12/04/2011

Hi there! My son is lactose intolerant and went through the same issue. I put him on whole milk Lactaid & it solved his issues in 3 days. I tried this method because it's still cow's milk without the lactose & felt he needed those nutrients. Otherwise I would have had to rely on Soy Milk. He's responded very well to it and I have even grown to like it. Hope that helps - Lisa

Peggy - posted on 12/04/2011

air purifiers.....www.myvollara.com/peggyholster they help kids that are not sleeping through the night

Virginia - posted on 12/04/2011

Considering the fact that more then 70 percent of all the antibiotics administered in this country are given to dairy cows and te fact the cows are pimped so full of growth hormones to produce enough milk to keep this country guzzling it, I would not give you child anymore cow milk. Cows milk is great for baby cows. Not humans or babies. My daughter has never ever been given any kind of cow milk and has ne'er spit up and only actually threw up once while being sick. She is 5.
If you feel you must give your child mill, look into soy, rice or almond milk. All silk soy milk is made with no gmos (genetically modified organisms) the soy bean and soy have been being consumed for thousands of years by the Chinese and they have the lowest rates of cancer and heart disease and are among some of the healthiest people on the planet. The "estrogen" in soy milk is phyto estrogen. It functions nothing like human estrogen. Not to mention soy has complete protein which cow milk does not. I am not pushing soy milk here, just tryingto clear up some confusion. I drink almond milk and not frequently. My daughter likes almond milk as a treat.

Marie - posted on 12/04/2011

I agree with Mia Bowen. The differences between milk allergy and milk intolerance are huge! If you haven't been to a pediatric allergist yet, please try to find one and get in ASAP. My eldest was hospitalized for 10 days before he was a month old for 'failure to thrive', and was even tested for Cystic Fibrosis. That's when we found that he had an allergic reaction to milk protien, which lasted until he was 5. He can tolerate single servings of most milk products now, but can get really sick if he binges on ice cream.

To avoid the same problem with #2, I went off of dairy products myself while I was pregnant and nursing. I took Ca supplements the whole time. Did you know that you can order in pizza with no cheese on it? Now, he has no adverse reactions to any dairy products.

Whether your child has a milk allergy or intolerance, you must read all labels VERY carefully. Beware of ingredients which are milk products, such as casein, whey, lactose sugars, cream, cheese powders which are used as fillers in most processed meats and many, many snack foods. So, PLEASE consult with a pediatric allergist before you try to find a suitable breast milk substitute.

Jacquelyn - posted on 12/04/2011

Do you warm her milk? Warm milk usually makes someone sleepy. I have an adopted Special Needs Child that is lactose intolerant and whole milk makes him VERY GASSY and VERY CONSTIPATED. They do sell lactose-free milk here at WalMart - it is expensive, but it is worth a try. If nothing changes, she may be teething. My grand-daughter only got constipated for a couple of days after they put her on whole milk and she got a little gassy also, but got used to it in a few days and sleeps all night now. I hope this is of a little help. Good luck.

Crystal - posted on 12/04/2011

We had a similar issue with my youngest, although it started out at a younger age. We started giving him goats milk and the problems stopped. We had a nice fresh supply of milk but have used the cans and cartons too. After a year, he has grown out of the "allergy" and can drink cow's milk just fine.

Nancy - posted on 12/04/2011

We are a family of lactose intolerant... I would just put warm lactaid milk in a bottle or a sippy cup for our little people... you could do the same... good luck...

Jody - posted on 12/04/2011

Try using Dairy Ease. It is lactose free. I have the same problem as does my daughter. I only wish this was around when she was a toddler. And yes, her son has the same problem. We used cheeses, yogurts etc to get the calcium and he did drink goats milk.
As to soy base I don't know why the post below is against soy. There is soy formula out there also.

Elizabeth - posted on 12/04/2011

I use Almond milk for my 2 boys that are Sensitive to milk. It is delicious and has all the nutrients plus more that milk has! If your child has a hard time breaking down proteins in milk like mine do, she might have difficulty with soy as well. Soy can be a tough protein for their little tummy's to break down, and it can also be hard to get them to drink. My boys love almond milk, it tastes so much better than soy or rice milk, and is high in Vitamin E. Hope this helps! :)

Miesheia - posted on 12/04/2011

Try Very Vanilla Silk Soy. My daughter has been on Soy milk since she was an infant. She is now 5. She was never able to keep down whole milk. Hope this helps. Miesheia

Joy - posted on 12/04/2011

I didn't read all of these so sorry if I repeat, but my daughter is lactose intolerant (as am I &I my sister). Buy the lactose free milk (store brand will be less expensive) and limit other milk products. And teach her to swallow the lactaid pills asap. By 2the and a half my daughter could swallow the pills and knew ro ask ppl if things contained milk. She's almost 7 now & its no big deal to her. Once she gets a little older (check w your doc) you can try things like soy &I almond milk too.

Kimberley - posted on 12/04/2011

My daughter who is now 6, was the same. My ex husband had the same problem wen he was lil and he was brought up on orange juice watered down as he couldnt even take goats or soya milk. If ur worried speak to ur health visitor and go through options. It may b a case ov she will grow
out of it

Jess - posted on 12/04/2011

try her on 2% my daughter couldnt handle the whole milk, if that does not work try goats milk, that all i could have when i was young

Whitney - posted on 12/04/2011

If u haven't heard this before its best to start them slow from formula to milk try starting at a fourth of milk and 3/4 formula for a week then half and half week two then 3/4 milk and a fourth formula the third week this is what the wic lady told me plus they are trained to and educated professionals so she knows her stuff its easier to slow into a new digestion process then to dive right in. It also helps constatpation from there u can see if it is the milk it the transition that's us how we learned my kids were lactose intolerant bt we knew that already native Americans aren't good with dairy of any kind it wast apart of our lifestyle for centuries so cnt change it completely just yet bt a good consultant is a wic person go online and find if local lady it does help.

Sue - posted on 12/04/2011

I would suggest nothing to do with the milk but more connected with other developmental milestones like standing/walking or even teething, especially if you have given her things like yogurt or cheese already. My son has been difficult about sleeping since he has learnt how to stand in his cot, for example.

Jenell - posted on 12/04/2011

When my daughter was on formula we had her on the hypo allergenic one and then transitioned her to Lactaid at 1 year. She did really well, so you can try that or even try 1% or 2% milk instead of whole.

Kristine - posted on 12/04/2011

My daughter (nov 2009) began having tummy trouble at abt 3 months after my milk supple dried up and she was in formula full time. We tried everything, Ovol drops, added water, warm baths, everything. At a year old I switched her to whole milk on the advice of my RN and the problem got worse. She was so constipated that she was going up 3 days without a movement and it was so hard and large she was giving herself fissures. I live in a small community in northern Ontario and it takes abt a month and half to get into see a doctor unless you go to emerge in the hospital. I did some research and decided to take her off the milk and try find some goats milk. Well, this proved impossible!! My next step was Almond milk, which my daughter hated, even if I altered the taste with vanilla extract plus it's very expensive up here and can only be found in the health store. My last solution was soy milk and for the last 6 months she has regular bowel movements with no pain, the odor isn't as atrocious and she is getting the calcium and vitamin d she needs. I understand everyone's avoidance of soy milk but when you are a parent dealing with a sick and screaming child, you use what works for you. I am planning on trying to reintroduce almond milk, if I can get a better price or convince my local grocer to bring it in. But until then I am going to continue to use the soya milk in her meals and desserts and zippy cups as I have always done with a smile on my face, knowing she isn't going to cry. Knowing I am doing the best that I can for her with the limited resources that I have available to me due to my location and due to her sensivities.

Jennifer - posted on 12/04/2011

My son had that problem when he was little iyour baby was allergic to milk wouldnt she/he have been on soy formula? my son was on soy formula because he is allergic to the protein in milk. soy milk is also available on wic. take the baby to the doc. if it goes on but if it is milk intolerance she would have runny stools my son went through a case of diapers in one week

Jacquie - posted on 12/04/2011

My son was like that to so I had to put Lactaid Drops in his milk you can buy it anywhere but its prob best to get it at WalMart or Soy Milk

Carrie - posted on 12/04/2011

I have no experience with this kind of thing myself... but my mother did, my brother was intolerant of cows milks and they had months of hell until he was diagnosed... she gave him goats milk and he was fine after and my parents finally got some sleep :D

Mia - posted on 12/04/2011

My son had a milk protein allergy & refused to feed totally at 4.5months so we had to give him a prescription formula & avoid solids with any dairy in them! My friends' boy had lactose intolerance & if he had any dairy he'd get an upset tummy so they gave him lactose free formula & the same as me avoided solids with dairy in them, so having to buy special biscuits, pasta etc for a time till he could tolerate that stuff. he still can't have milk so they give him the lactose free milk.

But could also be her teeth, my son also refused to eat when his teeth hurt! Try one of those amber teething necklaces or if you're in the USA the hyland teething tabs! There is a blood test/poo test to test for both milk protein allergy & lactose intolerance if you are still concerned but i'd advise you see a paed for dietary advice to ensure they're getting enough calcium if you remove it from her diet! Good luck

Michelle - posted on 12/04/2011

Get an allergy/intolerance test done. Your doctor can order for you. The most reliable is the IgG Elisa test- does the top 100 food allergies. It is really the only way to be sure. Good luck- my son is Gluten free and Casein(dairy) free....

Kristyn - posted on 12/04/2011

My kids and I are the same way. Both of my kids are on skim milk. My Dr said that it wasn't an issue, and that there is just as much Vit D in skim as whole milk, just not the fat. They are doing great. I do notice if they have choc milk at a resturant then they will get upset tummy's since most serve at least 2%. I would stay away from soy unless necessary. Good luck.

Trisha - posted on 12/04/2011

Using formula is alessandro a good choice. My son used a special formula until he was 2 do to a milk sensitivity. Then we used goats milk for a year and then soy. Soy milk is a great option

Tatev - posted on 12/04/2011

not soy milk please. Its been reported o have devastating effects on kids hormonal balance! Too much estrogen

Amber - posted on 12/04/2011

My daughter had the same thing and I talked to her doctor and wic and she has lactose free whole milk and does just fine! Hope that helps. Cuz the fats and stuff in whole milk are important for brain growth...

Samantha - posted on 12/04/2011

Hi Deanna! My son around 1 years old became very sensitive to lactose as well. I gave him soymilk instead, and he did very well with that! It's thinner than cow's milk, but he got the same vitamins and nutrients. After a few months on that, I slowly mixed the cow's milk into his soymilk, until I switched him to it completely (around 16 months). He is doing great now! I hope that helps! Good luck!

Becky - posted on 12/04/2011

You can try coconut or almond based milk products. I just recently discovered that I am lactose intolerant after suffering through almost 60 years of my life. This did the trick!

Angela - posted on 12/04/2011

I went through something similar with my son. I would recommend lactaid or soy milk.. Lactose intolearance isn't a permanent condition so by occasionally giving foods like yogurt, cheese and other lactose containing foods, it can help them get over the intolerance. My son was intolerant and by exposing him to lactose occasionally he has gradually became only lactose sensitive. He can only have 2cups of milk per day before getting an upset tummy. 2 cups is the recommended daily dose anyways so it has worked out fine for us. Good luck!

Ashley - posted on 12/04/2011

My daughter is lactose sensitive and has been since birth (which is diff than lactose intolerant, as in she can have very small amounts of dairy, but too much constipates her and makes her throw up) I put her on lactaid and she does great.

Katy - posted on 12/04/2011

Our son has reflux and a very sensitive stomach. He turned one Nov 11. Once we introduced milk his reflux flared again so we stayed at a mixture of 50% formula 50% milk. Ped said formula is fine just more expensive. Are plan is to very slowly switch to just milk. Did you try a gradual transition?

Lori - posted on 12/04/2011

A lactose intolerance is much easier to deal with than casein protein intolerance. Casein is in all dairy and most dairy substitutes. Cow's milk is one of the hardest things a human body has been given to digest. Goat's milk has a smaller protein base and is easier on the stomach. I found the best way to purchase Goat's milk is to buy it powder form and keep it in the freezer, mix it when you need it. It prevents the strong flavor, keeps it fresher longer. Best way to find out is to take milk out completely and see if there is any change. You'll know within 3 or 4 days. That's how long the effects of a food intolerance take to leave the body. That would be one of the easiest ways to rule out milk sensitivity.

Sarah - posted on 12/04/2011

My 1yr old was/is lactose intolerant (2yr old now). After talking to my pediatrician, we started giving him 1/ 2 of a lactaid tablet (chewable) right before he was about to eat a dairy product. It really seemed to help. The box said not to give it to a child under 4yrs, but I talked to the pediatrician and he said that cutting it in half would be fine. What the tablet does is provide lactase, the digestive enzme needed to digest the lactose found in dairy products, and which a lactose-intolerant persons' body fails to produce. Good luck!

Jo - posted on 12/04/2011

Hi Deanne, just to throw this thought into the mix, if you managed to breast feed your little one without too much trouble, then it is unlike that lactose is the problem as breast milk has a higher content of lactose than cow's milk. I always found that when changing from infant specific foods, eg formula or breast milk, you needed to slowly introduce the change. For example, diluting the milk to start with water, or formula or breast milk, and gradually changing the combinations until she is eventually on full milk. There are also plenty of other ways to ensure adequate calcium intake etc. and just have water for drinking. Eg cheese, yoghurt - also makes them less likely to want high sugar flavoured milks etc later down the track.A true intolerance will often manifest with diarhoea, vomiting etc.. Take care ... it is frustrating time in some ways.

Cindy - posted on 12/04/2011

First of all you need to figure out if it is actually the lactose or the milk protein. Both my girls were allergic to milk at a year old also. I tried soy but that also made them sick. After doing some research I read that milk and soy protein are so similar, that that would explain why they reacted the same to both. After reading every food package, I learned that some of their previous safe foods had lactose in them. (Flavored noodles, Pop Rocks candy are the two that come to mind) It was VERY challenging to feed them. Their one grandma didn't understand that only a little margarine(which is safe for lactose intolerance) would make them react. Anything that was milk derived would make them sick. She didn't understand that "whey" meant milk. Anyways, following an allergist's advice that they have ZERO exposure for at least a year before re-introduction, they both eventually out grew the allergy. It took a few years, as they were both preschool age. My doctor recommended foods high in calcium(broccoli is a great non-dairy one) along with a Tums daily. They are now 12 & 13 and extremely healthy. They just never acquired a taste for milk, so they still need to get their calcium from other sources, but luckily now they can eat cheese, yogurt, ice cream etc.

Vicky - posted on 12/04/2011

When my daughter was 18 months old, we noticed she was having stomach cramps and diarrhea after she would drink milk. We switched her to soy milk and the problems went away. I would recommend speaking with your pediatrician, as they will know your child best and can give you the best medical advice.

Jo - posted on 12/04/2011

It is a digestive issue. Go to a good helath food store or contact me & I can give the information on the products that I use, but get her on a good digestive enzyme. It will solve a world of problems for her & the family. Also, almond or rice milk will give her the same nutrition that you are looking for without the digestive issues.

Erinn - posted on 12/04/2011

Since you aren't sure if she's lactose intolerant I'd suggest cutting out ALL dairy in order to figure it out. After having my son I realized that I was lactose intolerant, since then I've gotten so sensitive to lactose that I cannot eat cheese or anything else made from cow or goat milk. Although I am lucky enough that if I take a supplement I can eat very small amounts. Since you are trying to figure out what's going on with your daughter, I'd suggest no cheese, no yogurt, no cow or goat milk of any kind. You never know, she could actually be allergic to the milk protein and if that's the case lactose free cow's milk wouldn't make a difference. So I'd suggest giving her rice milk. If you think that she'll be okay allergy wise then you can try almond milk or coconut milk. I'd stay away from soy milk though.



Soy has been genetically altered in the US so that farmers can use pesticides on it. Due to the altered state, the natural hormones in it are a bit different and our bodies react differently to them. THAT's the reason people say not to drink a lot of soy. All that said, I haven't noticed ill effects as an adult drinking it, but while I'll drink it, I buy almond milk for my son and husband. I can't stand almond milk, but they love it.



Edit to add: Don't forget that there are other ways to get calcium into your daughter's diet. Fortified orange juice is an excellent choice. Just as long as it has vitamin D in it as well as calcium.

Lakeshia - posted on 12/04/2011

We had that issue. We used 2% and she was fine. We had to also mix the milk with formula until her body adjusted. Just gradually take the formula away.

Zarja - posted on 12/04/2011

I agree with Vicky. My children never drank milk after they stopped weaning (18 months). Their doctor recommended dark green vegetables as well. And they never get sick.