How parents deal with lactose, gluten intolerant kids

Sometimes lactose intolerance is confused with a milk allergy. While lactose intolerance is a digestive system disorder, a milk allergy is a reaction by the body’s immune system to one or more milk proteins. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Sandra's daughter was also constantly sneezing and teary-eyed particularly after drinking cow milk. But every time she went to hospital, she would be given a cough syrup.
  • A visit to a specialist revealed that the child was lactose intolerant.
  • Alternatives to dairy products such as soy milk cost between Sh285 a litre and Sh595.
  • To prevent a child from feeling left out due to their diet, most parents are forced to prepare home-made treats.

Shiru Macharia is a mother to two toddlers, one of whom is allergic to dairy products.

"My daughter is lactose intolerant so her eczema flares up when she takes dairy. Because she still needs calcium in her diet, I had to learn how to make my own plant milk at home.”

The culinary nutrition student has a blog called My Planted Kitchen where she shares her love for healthy plant based foods. All the ingredients are meat, dairy and gluten free. They are also free from soy or processed foods. "I make treats for my kids at home so they don’t have to feel like they are missing out."

It has been said that living gluten free is an expensive venture but Shiru thinks otherwise. "There are definitely options for flours which can be found in whole food stores. They may not be as readily available as our all purpose wheat flour but they are available.”

MISDIAGNOSIS

Sandra* discovered that her child was lactose and gluten intolerant when her daughter was two years old.

"She would scratch her back and legs until she bled. She was also constantly sneezing and teary-eyed particularly after drinking cow milk. Her chest would become congested and every time we went to hospital they would give a diagnosis of cold and flu then proceed to prescribe cough syrups. Eventually the syrups stopped working and they gave her an inhaler."

The incidents became too many and Sandra* decided to seek help from a specialist who did tests that revealed her daughter was allergic to cow milk and gluten. They left the doctor's office with a whole list of Do's and Don'ts: no wheat, eggs, nuts, cow milk or any other foods or drinks containing dairy and excessive amounts of sugar.

"The biggest challenge with this diet change has been the price and availability of substitutes. Lactasoy milk costs Sh285 a litre and we use five in a week. When it goes missing from the supermarket we have to buy Alpro soy milk which costs between Sh475 and Sh595 depending on the flavour you find."

Like Shiru, Sandra* tries to ensure that her daughter who is now four years old does not feel left out in school or birthday parties because of her diet. "I bake so most of her treats such as oatmeal cookies, cassava flour pancakes and gluten free cupcakes are homemade. There is also dairy free yoghurt available in the supermarket and most of the gluten-free flour is available at an affordable price from Chandarana Supermarket."

In school, Sandra's daughter is catered to by teachers who are aware of her condition. "The teachers have the list I was given in hospital so when a birthday cake is brought to them by a parent or dessert made using ingredients she cannot have, they will give her a fruit or an energy bar.

"They are also one or two classmates with the same condition so she is not alone. Nowadays she is the one who tells her teachers what she is allowed to have and what she should skip."

WHAT IS GLUTEN?

According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, gluten is a general name for the proteins found in wheat , rye, barley and triticale – a cross between wheat and rye.

It helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a glue that holds food together and is mostly found in bread, baked goods and pastries (such as mandazi, chapati, doughnuts, samosas) pasta, spaghetti, cereals, sauces and salad dressings.

When it comes to gluten allergies, the symptoms of both conditions, Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance ( or gluten sensitivity) are very similar or even nearly identical, which makes it close to impossible to determine which one your child might have (if either one) without the use of medical tests.

Lactose is the sugar found in milk and dairy products. After eating dairy products that contain this sugar, usually lactase, a digestive enzyme of the small intestine, helps to breakdown this complex sugar into two simple sugars, glucose and galactose.

These simple sugars are then absorbed in the small intestine and ultimately reach the blood stream where they act as nutrients. The enzyme lactase is located in the lining of the small intestine known as the intestinal villi.

ECZEMA, LOOSE STOOL

The Cell Science Systems Corporation, a clinical laboratory, conducted a study on gluten sensitivity that showed that the body views this protein as an invader and fights it with inflammation both inside and outside your digestive tract. Symptoms include eczema, agitation, mood swings, painful joints, headaches, extreme fatigue and gastrointestinal issues such as constipation and diarrhoea.

Lactose intolerance has similar symptoms: bloating, diarrhoea, and gas—after eating or drinking milk or milk products. Lactase deficiency and lactose malabsorption may lead to lactose intolerance. Sometimes lactose intolerance is confused with a milk allergy.

While lactose intolerance is a digestive system disorder, a milk allergy is a reaction by the body’s immune system to one or more milk proteins. An allergic reaction to milk can be life threatening even if the person eats or drinks only a small amount of milk or milk product.

A milk allergy most commonly occurs in the first year of life, while lactose intolerance occurs more often during adolescence or adulthood.

The rise in gluten intolerance may be due to the fact that the modern wheat varieties are wildly different than more traditional varieties. In short, modern wheat is simply not the same plant it used to be.

HOW TO DEAL WITH ALLERGIES

Aside from practising the elimination diet and choosing to use substitutes instead, one can choose to eat raw foods, especially where fruits and vegetables are concerned. These not only keep the body’s pH balanced but also rids the body of past and present toxic accumulation.

If bread must be eaten, for example, those made from the sour dough variety are a good option because they have undergone the process of fermentation which breaks down gluten to negligible levels.

Some children might also be allergic to grains and beans, giving them gas, bloating constipation or diarrhoea. This can be remedied by soaking and sprouting. The process is as follows:

1. Soak seeds overnight (6-12 hours) in water. Optimal time for soaking is between 8 and 10 hours.
2. Rinse seeds 2-3 times daily, allow them to drain via sprouting jar or in tilted bowl.
3. Sprouts will be ready in 2 to 4 days, when sprout is ¼ inch.
4. Dry completely, and store in fridge for about 3 days.

This process neutralises enzyme inhibitors and the sugars responsible for fermentation and intestinal gas production. Whatever the case, there is a way to work around your child’s diet to ensure they are getting all the nutrients they need while still enjoying food.