In this Article

• What is a stool acidity test?
• What is lactose intolerance?
• How does the stool acidity test work?
• How does testing for lactose intolerance differ in adults?
• Stool Acidity Test Index

How does testing for lactose intolerance differ in adults?

Lactose intolerance in older children and adults can be detected by using the lactose tolerance test or the lactose hydrogen breath test.

• The lactose tolerance and lactose hydrogen breath tests are not given to infants and very young children who are suspected of having lactose intolerance because they require cooperation for either multiple samplings of blood or breath, which can be difficult if the infant or child is not cooperative.
  
  
• The dose of lactose that is needed for the lactose tolerance and hydrogen breath tests also may present problems for infants and very young children since if they are intolerant of lactose, they may develop diarrhea and become dehydrated.
  
  
• Nevertheless, special masks have been developed for infants and very young children that can make the sampling of breath for the lactose hydrogen breath test easier to perform.

Suggested Reading by Our Doctors

• Hydrogen Breath Test - Read about the hydrogen breath test used to assist in diagnosing lactose intolerance, bacterial overgrowth of the small bowel, celiac disease, and pancreatic insufficiency.
• Abdominal Pain - Learn about abdominal pain (pain in the stomach / abdomen) including causes, symptoms, how abdominal pain is diagnosed, and how abdominal pain is treated.
• Lactose Tolerance Test - Information about the lactose tolerance test, a test for the diagnosis of lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance symptoms include diarrhea, gas, and abdominal pain.

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