Cow's Milk & Toddler Behavior Problems
Cow's milk is considered to be high in nutrients, but the calcium and protein it contains is greatly reduced during the pasteurization process. This depletes vitamins, enzymes and healthy bacteria and makes milk more difficult to digest. A toddler whose diet contains excessive amounts of cow's milk but not enough foods rich in iron, or who is allergic to dairy milk or lactose intolerant, may display behavioral problems such as discomfort, irritability and over-tiredness.
-
Allergies
-
A toddler with an allergy may struggle to sleep. Allergies to cow's milk are rare. According to pediatrician and author Dr. William Sears, approximately 2 percent of toddlers are allergic to cow's milk, and the majority of them grow out of it by the time they are 3 years old. Symptoms of a cow's milk or dairy allergy include on-going nasal and sinus congestion, asthma, skin rashes, hives and recurrent ear infections. Other common adverse reactions to cow's milk are tummy ache and excessive gas. These symptoms often lead to behavioral changes in a toddler, because she is uncomfortable or in pain. Look out for your toddler becoming more irritable than normal, or being restless during the night.
Lactose Intolerance
-
Lactose-intolerant toddlers may be upset and irritable. Lactose intolerance -- the inability to digest milk and milk products -- doesn't normally develop until the age of 2 or later, due to the decreasing production of lactase, the enzyme that breaks down the milk sugar lactose, in the intestines. Symptoms of lactose intolerance can be severe, such as abdominal cramps, diarrhea, sickness and vomiting. Toddlers suffering from lactose intolerance are likely to be irritable and restless and show a lack of appetite.
Iron Deficiency
-
Toddlers should not drink excessive amounts of milk. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, cow's milk is a common cause of iron deficiency, as it makes it harder for the body to absorb iron from other foods. Also, toddlers who drink a lot of milk may be too full to eat iron-rich foods. Children between the ages of 9 and 24 months are most likely to suffer from iron deficiency anemia. Symptoms include a lack of appetite, brittle nails, headaches, tiredness, lethargy and irritability.
Taking Action
-
If your toddler seems healthier and happier when you cut out cow's milk, it is likely he is allergic to it. If you have noticed behavioral changes in your toddler and he is also showing some symptoms of allergy or dairy intolerance, the best thing to do is cut out all dairy products for at least one month (cheese and yogurt also contain cow's milk protein). After this time, if symptoms and behavior have improved, reintroduce small amounts of cow's milk and continue to monitor your toddler's health and behavior. If your toddler is allergic to milk he may be able to tolerate other forms of dairy, because when cow's milk is heated its proteins become less allergenic. To prevent iron deficiency anemia in your toddler, cut his cow's milk intake down to a maximum of 24 ounces per day.
-
-
The toddler world is changing rapidly, but not fast enough for most toddlers. When a little one wants a toy, snack or even attention, she wants it now. Teaching her to wait, to delay the moment of gratification, helps your toddler learn self-control.
-
Your childs own will The Terrible Twos: A Struggle for Independence Your two-year-old persists in the struggle that began when he started walking: The struggle toward some degree of separation, autonomy, independence, and the ultimate issue—identity.
-
Its impossible to say for sure what it means if you catch your teen son wearing a diaper without knowing more context. It could be a sign of a number of things, some harmless and some potentially concerning. Here are some possibilities:Possible Harml
