Milk is a recommended, highly valued staple in the nutritional life of babies and children. But these days milk allergies are common and up to 90 percent of Asians and 95 percent of blacks are lactose intolerant according to some studies.

Complicating matters even more is the need to address the lactose intolerance while also making sure that kids get the calcium and Vitamin D essential to strong, healthy development. Many children are not getting what they need.

So what's a parent to do to protect kids who have to make complicated cafeteria choices all by themselves? One company, Ganeden Biotech may have some tips that are useful. And keep reading to take the lactose intolerant quiz too! ...

Educating children about what foods to avoid is more difficult than simply keeping them away from milk and cheese because of food containing "hidden lactose," comprised largely of non-dairy foods that can contain varying amounts of lactose. These foods can include:

* breads
* processed breakfast cereals
* non-kosher lunch meats
* candy and other snacks
* salad dressings
* pancake, biscuit and cookie mixes

Parents should teach their children to read food labels carefully, looking not only for milk and lactose, but also for words such as whey, curds, milk by-products, dry milk solids, and non-fat dry milk powder – all indications the food contains lactose.

I don't know about you, but I would be shocked if a little kid could remember all of that. Wave a pack of M&M's at them and for the most part, all bets are off. So what else can be done? Ganeden Biotech suggests probiotics as a way of neutralizing lactose intolerance:

A common solution is lactase enzyme pills taken with each meal. Lactase breaks down the lactose before it can cause problems. However, because the amount of lactase needed depends on how much lactose is consumed, many people consider them impractical. "Keeping enough lactase pills handy is hard enough, especially for children and teens, but since they often don't know some of the foods they're eating contain lactose, they may not even think about taking lactase." Ganaden Biotech suggests that people take a probiotic supplement which children can take at home once each morning, as opposed to each time dairy is consumed. The ultimate goal is for lactose-intolerant children to enjoy milk products and get the calcium they need without discomfort – relieving much of the back-to-school stress for parents.

It is critical to speak to your child's pediatrician, school nurse or other healthcare professional regarding lactose intolerance.

The information presented here is intended to serve only as a discussion point not as a recommendation or endorsement of any kind.

RESOURCES
+ The Facts on Lactose Intolerance
+ Lactose Intolerance & Ancestry
+ Our Need for Calcium
+ More on Lactose Intolerance