For many kids, an ice cream sundae or a cool glass of milk at
lunch means an afternoon of cramps, gas, and diarrhea. Kids who
have this kind of discomfort after consuming dairy products
might have a lactose intolerance, which is caused by problems
digesting lactose, the main sugar in milk and milk products.
Lactose intolerance occurs when the body makes too little of the
enzyme lactase, which is needed to break down lactose into two
smaller sugars called glucose and galactose. When there's not
enough lactase in the body, lactose doesn't get broken down in
the small intestine, and it passes into the large intestine
where bacteria ferment it into gases and acids. This process can
cause cramps, abdominal pain, gas, and diarrhea about 30 minutes
to 2 hours after consuming any foods or drinks that contain
lactose. For some kids, these symptoms are very severe and their
systems can't tolerate any lactose. For others, the symptoms are
milder and they just have to limit the amount of dairy products
they consume. Lact