Dr. Robert Needlman
Specialist in pediatric behavior and development.
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 Ask Dr. Needlman
Sick on Milk at 18 Months | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Needlman,
My 18-month-old son has never had a problem with cow's milk, but over the past week or so, he has had terrible diarrhea and been throwing up... with no fever or other symptoms of a cold or infection. Over the past 24 hours, we've only given him soy milk (for milk) and he has not had diarrhea since. Is it possible that he has developed a milk allergy at this stage? Should we also be trying Lactaid or equivalent to rule out lactose intolerance, or should we stick with soy milk?— Please No More Laundry in Baltimore, MD | | | ANSWER |
May 23, 2001 | | | Dear Please No More Laundry,
It's pretty common for diarrhea to be the only symptom of a mild intestinal infection, usually with a virus. Children who have had a bout of diarrhea caused by a viral or bacterial infection sometimes develop a temporary lactose intolerance. After a few days to a couple of weeks their lactase enzyme comes back and they can digest milk again. This problem is different from milk or soy allergy, which usually appears in early infancy.
You should consult with your child's healthcare provider to see when you can begin re-introducing cow's milk back into your son's diet and to make sure that something else isn't contributing to your son's problems.In the mean time, lactose free milk or soy milk should work fine. — by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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