After the human body ingests dairy products, lactase will decompose lactose into a part of galactose and a part of glucose, glucose will be absorbed and utilized by the human body, providing energy for the growth and development of the human body, and galactose also needs to undergo some enzyme transformation to become glucose.
If the body lacks lactase and cannot fully digest the ingested dairy products, it may have abdominal pain, diarrhea and other symptoms, which is also familiar with "lactose intolerance".
If the body lacks enzymes that metabolize galactose, it will cause galactose to accumulate in the body, causing a series of symptoms and organ damage, which is a rare disease that we are going to talk about today - galactosemia.
01 Galactosemia is an autosomal recessive disorder
The enzyme that metabolizes galactose is directly related to the gene, and it can be said that babies with galactosemia will develop the disease as soon as they are born.
Because newborn babies need breast milk or formula feeding, and newborns with galactosemia cannot tolerate breast milk or formula, a series of problems arise after feeding.
02 The most common symptoms are vomiting and diarrhea after drinking milk
Whether the child drinks breast milk, milk powder or other dairy products, there will be vomiting, diarrhea, if parents find that the newborn baby has these manifestations, must be vigilant.
Galactose, if deposited in different organs, can also damage the corresponding organs, causing some symptoms accordingly.
For example, sugar is mainly metabolized in the liver, so galactose is easy to accumulate in the liver, causing abnormal liver function, and jaundice symptoms can appear, manifested as yellowing of the eyes and skin.
In general, physiological jaundice in newborns will resolve spontaneously after 1-2 weeks of birth, while jaundice caused by galactosemia will not resolve spontaneously, so jaundice that does not resolve is also an important symptom of galactosemia.
If galactose is deposited in the eye, the eye crystals are affected, resulting in abnormal visual development in the child.
In addition, galactose can also be deposited in the kidneys and brain, which may cause cerebral edema, and the child may show irritability and crying. More severe cerebral edema can also lead to increased intracranial pressure, which can eventually develop into a hernia, which can endanger the child's life.
Therefore, if galactosemia is diagnosed, the average child must not eat breast milk, milk powder and other dairy products containing lactose before the age of 3, and can choose milk powder that does not contain lactose and galactose to replace.
At the same time, by feeding some foods containing starch, such as eating some rice cereal, steamed buns, and rice, the glucose needed for growth and development is obtained from it.
Final Tips:
The longer and more galactose is deposited in various parts of the body, the more serious the damage to each part becomes, and this damage is irreversible.
At the same time, unfortunately, there is currently no drug capable of treating galactosemia.
Therefore, once it is found that the newborn has vomiting, diarrhea, or jaundice for a long time after drinking breast milk or milk, it is necessary to seek medical attention in time.
I hope that all babies in the world are healthy and healthy, and grow up safely!
References: Medical Microvision official website - Wang Huahong Chief Physician "Galactosemia"