A lactose-free mixture: to whom, why?

Lactase insufficiency is a rare disease, the main symptoms of which are increased gas formation, insufficient weight gain of the baby, foamy stools, rejection of the breast, abdominal pain. Every woman understands that mother's milk is the ideal food for her baby. However, if your baby is diagnosed with the above-mentioned diagnosis, there are only two ways out: either the use of enzyme therapy with preservation of breastfeeding, or a lactose-free mixture, because the cause of the disease is the lack of enzymes in the baby's intestines necessary for the breakdown of milk sugar-lactose.

There are congenital and acquired lactase deficiency. In the second case, the cause is an inflammatory process or an intestinal infection that occurs with complications. A partial decrease in the production of enzymes is called hypolactasia. In this case, the doctor recommends the use of adapted low-lactose mixtures. As recovery, the low-lactose mixture is replaced by a conventional adapted one. If there is a relapse, and again the production of enzymes in the intestine is sharply reduced, a lactose-free mixture is introduced. It is curative and in no case should be appointed by parents independently. Even in case of lactase deficiency, the pediatrician appoints a strictly individual nutrition plan for a particular child, since lactose plays an important role in the development of the baby's body.

How does the lactose-free mixture differ from conventional?

Mother's milk - this is the standard to which producers of adapted mixtures are trying to approach. Their vast majority is made on the basis of the milk of farm animals - cows or goats. It reduces the content of casein, salts and proteins. Along with this, milk is enriched with essential vitamins, minerals and trace elements, that is, they are adapted. Lactose-free and low-lactose mixtures, in turn, should not contain cow's milk - it is completely replaced with soy. Minerals and vitamins are also added.

How is the lactose-free mixture introduced?

The main rule of the transition is its staged, because a sharp decrease in lactose in the daily diet of the baby is fraught with constipation. The pediatrician and parents must necessarily monitor the presence of allergies, stool, weight gain and overall health of the baby.

Which mixture to choose? What does the Russian market offer us?

Undoubtedly, the choice of adapted mixtures is much wider than the range of lactose-free and low-lactose mixtures. However, the largest manufacturers did not ignore the kids with such a problem and released their food options for children of different ages. The most famous mixtures - "NAN" and "Nutrilon" - are produced in a lactose-free and low-lactose variant, too. Also on the market there are such mixtures of other less well-known manufacturers: Mamex, Nutrilak, Friso. The children's mixture "NAN" is produced by the company "Nestle", "Nutrilon" - the Dutch firm "Nutritsia". All lactose-free mixtures can be purchased in almost any pharmacy or supermarket, as well as in children's specialized stores.