Milk intolerance?

[whitepicketfence]

We switched DD2 to whole milk from formula less than 2 weeks ago. She took to it right away and we didn't have any immediate issues. For the past several days, she had been extremely cranky and then started having some pretty bad watery poops. Since these were similar to the symptoms DD1 usually had when she was teething, I just assumed that she was cutting a tooth.

The last few days, however, she's been pooping at least 5x a day and the fussiness has gotten worse. She's also developed a pretty severe rash from pooping so frequently. I'm suspecting that she may have a slight milk intolerance. She was previously on a milk-based formula and doesn't have any issues with cheese or yogurt but, from what I've read, some babies can't tolerate the higher levels of lactose in milk yet at this age. I've since switched her to soy milk and she seems to be doing much better.

Does anyone have any experience with this? She has her 12 month appointment on the 20th so I plan to ask her pedi more about it then.

[beaver12]

I wouldn't jump right to a milk intolerance. I would think you would have noticed an issue right away. My kids don't have issues with milk, but I'm lactose intolerant (my whole life) and it hits immediately. We all just got over a GI virus in our house. That would be my first thought.

[pacificrules]

My DD is a little older (2.5), but has an intolerance to dairy/lactose. When she was on dairy, she never had a solid poop. Now that she's off, it's much more normal. I think it's been about a year now. We mix soy and almond milk; she likes it just as much as regular milk. I just recently bought some lactose free and think I might give that a shot. Good luck at your appointment!

[Jem]

In my experience with it, milk intolerance does take time to show itself. Especially when she tolerates other things. We've reintroduced to DS a few times and he always seems like he is doing ok and then at a week to 2 weeks it apparently has built up enough that he can't tolerate it anymore and symptoms show. Definitely talk to your pedi, but it sounds like milk issues.

For what it's worth, DS can do yogurt and milk in cooked things (he hates cheese, so not sure if he can handle it or not), but he cannot do WCM or ice cream.

[whitepicketfence]

Aug 8, 2012 22:46:29 GMT -5 beaver12 said:

I wouldn't jump right to a milk intolerance. I would think you would have noticed an issue right away. My kids don't have issues with milk, but I'm lactose intolerant (my whole life) and it hits immediately. We all just got over a GI virus in our house. That would be my first thought.

I'm not sure that it's a GI virus either. Whenever my girls have had one before, it was always accompanied by a slight fever and they were pretty lethargic. DD2 has been extremely fussy and gassy, but hasn't had a fever and she didnt act lethargic at all.

I'll mention it to her pedi though as I don't want to rule anything out.

[whitepicketfence]

Aug 9, 2012 6:39:08 GMT -5 Jem said:

In my experience with it, milk intolerance does take time to show itself. Especially when she tolerates other things. We've reintroduced to DS a few times and he always seems like he is doing ok and then at a week to 2 weeks it apparently has built up enough that he can't tolerate it anymore and symptoms show. Definitely talk to your pedi, but it sounds like milk issues.

For what it's worth, DS can do yogurt and milk in cooked things (he hates cheese, so not sure if he can handle it or not), but he cannot do WCM or ice cream.

Good to know. Thanks!

[mrsc23]

We had the same experience as you with WCM when we switched our son over from formula. He had never had diaper rash before this, and it was awful. We switched back to formula for a few weeks, then slowly introduced lactose-free whole milk and he's been fine ever since. He can eat yogurt, ice cream and cheese without a problem though. It's been about six months and I haven't tried regular milk again. His doctor said that if the lactose free milk is working for him, then just stick with it, so that's our plan.