We have heard about lactose intolerance in adults and infants, but not much about it in teenagers or kids. What should you do if your kid or your teenager is intolerant to lactose. You may have to face unexpected situations while treating your kid or teenager. Reason: Your kid or teenager may resist what you intend to do them and may go ahead with a lactose diet. Your advice may often fall on deaf ears. What will you do in such a scenario? How will you handle your teen or adolescent? This article offers a few tips to manage lactose intolerance in teenagers.
How to manage lactose intolerance in teens? Teens are not exceptional case studies for lactose intolerance. It is but natural for them to be lactose intolerant as they have come a long way from their weaning stage. Their bodies, will, according to the natural conditioning, produce less lactase. But what makes them rare cases is the emotional elements you may have to face while dealing with pre-teens or teens or adolescents. This is why we thought it best to offer tips on the topic here, at Lactose Intolerance Forum.
1. Accept the situation: If your teen is completely lactase deficient, don’t blame it on fate or god, relax. He or she is just exhibiting a genetic trait and it is no fault of yours.
2. Make your teen understand: This is one of the most difficult parts. You need to make your pre-teen or teen understand that he or she is facing a condition that needs proper attention. Console and comfort them if they are vexed or frustrated about not being able to take dairy products. Clarify to them the problems/symptoms that may follow in case of dairy consumption. By gradual advice and guidance make them overcome the urge to take dairy ice creams, cheese or butter.
3. Eliminate dairy completely, replace with substitutes: The market is rampant with so many milk alternatives and dairy substitutes. You can either opt for lactose free dairy items or go for non-dairy stuff like soy milk, rice milk or almond milk. Cheese, butter and almost every other equivalent of dairy product is available in non-dairy form. Encourage your teen to consume only such items when he/she parties with friends.
4. Calcium is a must: Calcium is a must for growth and bone health. This is especially true with teens, pre-teens and adolescents. Calcium is also needed to maintain bone density. Cutting off dairy means cutting of calcium. So, you need to compromise for the calcium lack through other calcium rich products. Look up on the web or cookbooks to make delicacies using calcium-rich foods. Sardines, salmon, yogurt etc. contain calcium. You can give your teen calcium-fortified, lactose free milk too.
5. Vitamin D and other nutrients: A daily dose of vitamin D is important for the absorption of minerals like magnesium and calcium. So, give foods rich in vitamins D and B. If you live in countries far away from the equator (like the United States), your skin cannot produce vitamin D through UV rays of the sun. Hence, give your teen adequate supplements.
6. Try commercial supplements: There are several new commercial programs to help people with lactose intolerance. These programs help your body to slowly become adapted to the lactose consumed. It is called colonic adaptation. You can encourage your teen to join such programs (like Lactagen) and help them get rid of lactase deficiency symptoms. You can also try using lactaid drops or other lactase supplements to temporarily produce lactase in your teen.
