In a message dated 11/1/2005 11:00:46 PM Eastern Standard Time, Brandy
Karcher writes:
>
> My daughter was the same way.  She is almost four and when she got off
> formula (soy), I put her on whole milk and she did just fine.  My ped said
> that some infants have intolerancy and they grow out of it by the time they
> turn 1, but some take a little longer.  I guess the twins will take a little
> longer.

The problem that children grow out of (seldom by the age of one, usually by
two or three) is a milk protein allergy. Lactose intolerance is a totally
difference problem.

Although many babies can suffer from a temporary lactose intolerance when
they have damage to their intestines, even from something as common as a "stomach
flu" (which is really an intestinal ailment), lactose intolerance itself is
permanent. It cannot be grown out of. Allergies are to milk proteins;
intolerance is to lactose, the milk sugar.

This confusion of allergy with intolerance is unfortunately common, but on
this list we should be extremely careful to use the correct terms. Some people
here - or their children or families - have allergies while others are
intolerant. While avoiding milk can be a solution, most people with LI can have milk
products while those with allergies must use varying degrees of rigor to
eliminate them.

They're just not the same. If you ever find medical professionals confusing
the two: tell them off!

Steve Carper