“How long does lactose intolerance usually last in kids?”
After some digestive issues, my child has been diagnosed with lactose intolerance. Does this condition typically go away in kids? How long does it take for them to grow out of it?
6 Answers
True lactose intolerance is a lifelong state - one is genetically programmed to lose the ability to make the enzyme lactase. This is very common in Asians and occurs in adolescence. Sometimes an infection or other acute condition can cause temporary lactose intolerance, but this should go away in a few days to weeks.
Lactose intolerance is a life long disease except if it is secondary to an underlying disease such as celiac disease, or Crohn's disease, which resolves with control of the primary disease.
It can be lifelong. It can get less severe over time. Taking Lactaid with dairy will help, I used to live on it.
Lactose intolerance could be temporary secondary to gastroenteritis. It may take 3-4 weeks before it resolves. On the other hand, Lactose intolerance could be congenital or secondary to a other underlying gastrointestinal diseases.
Once you have lactose intolerance, it never goes away
Sometimes kids can grow out of it but mostly this is something that lasts into adulthood.
