Hi Susan,

How I understand your problem! I myself live in Belgium and am faced with
the same difficulties. I don't know whether you are American, but if so
you'll have to get used to the European way - some will argue the UK is in
Europe ...- which is very different from the US! But having said that, the
UK is not the worst place to be when you have to live with allergies or
intolerance, far from it. I know from experience as I have lived in the UK.

One of my daughters now almost 3yo was recently diagnosed lactose intolerant
- definite objective result on hydrogen breath test - after we struggled for
1 1/2 year with all kind of allergy-like symptoms to milk, soy and eggs on
the food front, and dust
mites. Although the dust mite allergy is definitely
there, I can tell you that there is no sign of any food allergy now. However
for 1 1/2 year I put Naomi on a very strict diet and indeed was faced with
the same problem as you.

This list has helped a lot in making me aware of things or in pointing to
related websites, however, as mentioned above you have to put everything in
a 'European perspective' and that means even more hard work.

Two examples:
- Ingredient labelling laws are not the same as in the US, not as strict -
So if it is not mentioned in the ingred list, it does not mean the
ingredient is not there ...
- Kosher products are not so readily available ... unless you live in a
Jewish area. If you live in London, North London around Goldners Green, for
example.
- Not many manufacturers mention enquiry lines numbers - let alone toll-free
numbers ... and in any case it is not really
customary for us to get in
touch with them. Things are beginning to change though, and they do so
faster in the UK than in continental Europe.

Now what about bread? In the UK I would just apply this rule of thumb: DON'T
BUY BREAD, make it, unless your daughter tolerates a little dairy. The
'industrial' (square and squashy) bread, in a plastic bags, almost certainly
contains some form of dairy. However if the presence of protein is not an
issue this might not be a real problem. Lactose is the milk sugar, nothing
to do with the protein. For the bread that is baked in the supermarkets,
there is no labelling at all. Asking the staff might help if somewhere on
the supplier packaging there is a list of ingredients but I rather doubt it.
So I think the advice some people already gave you is the best: get yourself
a bread machine. I did and it works fine. This is the only reliable way of
knowing what goes
into your bread ...

Also if your daughter is really only :-) lactose intolerant, not allergic to
dairy, life is a little simpler. Depending on how serious the symptoms are,
she might tolerate a little hard cheese. In principle the more 'mature' the
cheese, the less lactose it contains. Just bear in mind though that in most
cases lactose intolerance is a gradual process from little to no
tolerance... For your information, you can also find Lactaid tablets from
Boots the Chemist. If they don't stock it, they will order it for you.

Finally, if you would like to email me personally on the subject, please do
so. I'll be glad to share any information/experience I have.

Good luck.

Martine (Hubaut)
Mum to Tanya (7 1/2) and Naomi (almost 3)
Brussels, Belgium

-------------
On Tue, 29 Feb 2000 01:37:56 -0000, Susan Street
<[log in to unmask]
UK> wrote:

>I'm new to the list and thought I'd step forward and say hello
>My 9 year old daughter has been diagnosed as Lactose Intolerant to day
>and I'm starting what may be a hard task of replacing her favourite foods
>with Lactose Free alternatives.
>Any suggestions would be appreciated
>Susan Street

AND

>BREAD....I can't find a safe bread.....it's not that they all contain
>milk...but most don't say what they contain....