Lactose intolerance

• Your child's physician may recommend taking lactase enzymes.
• Symptoms are often best controlled with a proper diet.
• Because milk and other dairy products are often a child's major source of calcium, and because calcium is essential for healthy bones and growth, you must ensure that your lactose-intolerant child gets enough calcium from other sources. Nondairy foods that are high in calcium include:
• green vegetables, such as broccoli and kale
• fish, such as salmon and sardines
• yogurt with active cultures may be a good source of calcium for many people with lactose intolerance - evidence shows that the bacterial cultures used in making yogurt produce some of the lactase enzyme required for proper digestion

Your child's physician may prescribe a calcium supplement if your child is unable to get enough calcium from food.

Vitamin D is necessary for the body to absorb calcium; therefore, you child's diet should provide an adequate supply of vitamin D. Sources of vitamin D include eggs and liver. Sunlight can also provide vitamin D.