Living and Loving – September 2019

baby & toddler

L&L | SEPTEMBER 2019 | 69

2

Food intolerance

It’s common for kids to have a

physical reaction to some foods, but this

doesn’t always mean it’s a food allergy.

It could just be a food intolerance – it’s

important to know the difference. A true

food allergy causes an immune system

reaction that affects numerous organs

in the body and a range of symptoms,

according to Dr James Li, chair of the

Division of Allergic Diseases in the

Department of Internal Medicine and

a board-certified asthma and allergy

specialist at the Mayo Clinic. In some

cases, a reaction to a food allergy can

be severe and even life threatening. A

food intolerance, on the other hand,

is less serious and often limited to

digestive problems. People with a food

intolerance can often still eat those

foods in small amounts without any

trouble, or even prevent a reaction.

If you have a food allergy, eating

any foods that affect you can cause

a life-threatening reaction, called

anaphylaxis. Symptoms of a food

intolerance include nausea, gas,

cramps, abdominal pain, diarrhoea,

irritability and nervousness.

WHAT TO DO The most common

childhood food intolerance is lactose

intolerance, which occurs when

your body is unable to break down

the sugar in milk. This may be due

to an insufficient lactase enzyme. If

you suspect your child has lactose

intolerance,thefirststepistosee

ahealthcareproviderwhowill

assessyourchildaccordingly.Your

littleonemightneedtogothrough

alactoseeliminationprocessto

determinehowbadthecondition

is.Thisofteninvolvescuttingoutall

majorculpritsandslowlyintroducing

themoveraperiodofafewweeks.

It’simportantnottodiagnoseyour

childyourself.Accordingtothe

AmericanAcademyofPaediatrics,if

yourhealthcareprovider(orregistered

dietician)believesyourchildneeds

toeliminatedairyproducts,other

dietarysourcesofcalciumorcalcium

supplementsneedtobeprovided.

3

An injury from

rough play

Toddlers are busy little beings,

always climbing up and over things

in their quest for adventure. If your

little one complains of a stomach

ache after you know he has been

playing with friends or at daycare,

and it’s not accompanied by any

other symptoms that could explain

the tummy ache, ask him if he might

have hurt himself while playing.

WHAT TO DO Ask your child where

he played and what he did. If he

fell on his stomach, it could be

what’s causing the tummy pain.

It’s best to take your little one to

the doctor to get it checked out

as a precautionary measure if

he seems to be in a lot of pain.

4

Stress and

anxiety

Toddlers have difficulty expressing

their feelings and tend to internalise

them. This can often lead to

what feels like a tummy ache.

WHAT TO DO Ask your little one if

anything is bothering or worrying

her. It could be anything from

separation anxiety to her favourite

toy being lost, or a friend at daycare

who didn’t want to play with her.

6

Eating weird objects

Toddlers will put just about

anything in their mouths if you

don’t keep a close eye on them.

WHAT TO DO Whether your child has

sampled something he’s found on the

ground in a public place, or popped

a strange berry or plant in his mouth,

stay calm and assess the risks. If you’re

unsure, it’s always a good idea to

call your doctor immediately, who

will advise you on the next step.

It’s a different matter if your

child has swallowed something

dangerous like a magnet, a battery,

or something sharp. In this case, go

to the emergency room. An X-ray or

scan may be necessary to determine

where the object is and whether it is a

danger. Your doctor will then determine

whetheritneeds to be removed, and

whatthebest way of doing this is.

Ifyourchild swallowed anything

thatmaybe poisonous, in particular

medication, seek medical attention

immediately. Just one or two pills in a

baby’ssmall body can be fatal. Take

yourchildand the medication in its

packagingto the emergency room.

Thesamegoes for poisonous plants. LL

ClickonChild for how to treat

yourchild’sstomach bug.

LIVING

AND

LOVING

.CO.ZA

WORDS

XANET SCHEEPERS

PHOTOGRAPHY

GALLO IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCK

5.Illness

Ifyourtoddler’stummy

acheseemstohaveappeared

suddenly,itcouldbethatheis

unwell.Illnesseslikegastroandother

virusescancauseseverestomachpain

inchildren.Urinarytractinfectionscan

alsocausepaininthetummyarea.

WHATTODOAlwayslookatthetummy

acheincontextofothersymptoms

andconsultyourdoctorifthe

stomachpaindoesn’tsettle

withinafewhours.