Lactose allergy is best known as cow’s milk allergy. Children who suffer from lactose intolerance don't produce the right digestion enzymes to break down the sugar found naturally in milk products (lactose). The undigested lactose ferments causing tummy aches.

Managing your child’s lactose intolerance is not as simple as removing dairy products from your diet, because dairy products are still healthy and good for your child provided the lactose has been removed (through a natural process called fermentation, or even through heat. Read more about it here.)  

If your child has a food allergy or intolerance, you will need many recipes to convert your home cooking into allergy-safe cooking. Lactose-free cooking is easier than you think. Next time you’re making dinner for the family, try one of the following lactose-free recipes:

• Banana cake with lemon icing
• Chicken strips
• Family friendly rack of lamb
• Hidden vegetable pasta sauce (ignore the serving suggestion of cheese sprinkles)
• Heavenly hash (check the labels of the ready-made ingredients for lactose).

Discover more recipes online in a fun social forum for parents: Kidspot Social, where parents go for me-time. Find out what’s for dinner in their house tonight - feel inspired… or less guilty about your own offering. 

Lactose intolerance in babies is a different issue altogether, and its handling depends on whether you are breastfeeding or bottle-feeding. 

Related articles:

• Treating allergies
• Easy family child-friendly recipe finder.