Essential Information Regarding Malabsorption Syndrome in Children

Malabsorption is a condition in which a child is unable to absorb nutrients, vitamins, and minerals from food, leading to nutritional deficiencies, developmental delays, and the onset of various serious medical conditions.

Malabsorption syndrome can occur at any age, in both children and adults, but is most common in children under 5 years of age, particularly during the weaning period.

Malabsorption syndrome in children is a significant concern. If left untreated, this condition can impair a child's growth and development, potentially leading to physical and cognitive developmental delays, increased risk of malnutrition, immune system impairment, and susceptibility to dangerous infectious diseases.

?Causes of Malabsorption in Children
The causes of malabsorption in children are typically attributed to the following factors:

• Introducing solid foods before 6 months of age. During this stage, a child's digestive system is not yet fully developed and cannot adequately absorb various types of food. It is advised not to feed egg whites to children under 6 months old, as the high protein content can easily trigger allergies, leading to eczema, urticaria, and other conditions.
• Imbalanced nutrition: Parents providing a diet high in energy-dense foods such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, but low in vitamins and minerals, leads to nutritional imbalances and malabsorption disorders.

– Digestive disorders: Consuming food that lacks proper hygiene and safety can lead to digestive disorders, resulting in malabsorption.

– Antibiotic misuse: Many parents have a habit of using antibiotics arbitrarily without a physician's prescription. This practice disrupts the gut microbiota, making children more susceptible to intestinal diseases and malabsorption.

– Enzyme deficiency: Enzymes secreted by the salivary glands and pancreas facilitate better digestion and nutrient absorption. Children with pathologies affecting these organs are prone to malabsorption.

– Lactase deficiency: This can cause digestive disorders and lactose intolerance in children.

– Certain medical conditions causing damage to the intestinal mucosa: This is a primary cause of malabsorption syndrome in children.

– Intestinal resection surgery: This can significantly affect a child's absorption capacity.

?Signs and Symptoms of Malabsorption Syndrome in Children
Parents can identify malabsorption syndrome in children based on the following manifestations:

• Young children may pass loose, foul-smelling stools. In older children, parents may observe an oily film on the surface of the toilet water, indicating unabsorbed fat.
• The child appears pale, weak, experiences slow weight gain, malnutrition, or stunted height growth.
• Frequent abdominal pain, bloating, or borborygmi (stomach rumbling).
• Weight loss, fatigue, and lethargy.
• Reduced appetite, anorexia, or lack of interest in food.
• Symptoms such as muscle pain and cramps due to calcium deficiency, anemia due to iron deficiency, or muscle pain due to vitamin B1 deficiency.
• In cases of prolonged malabsorption, children may exhibit edema due to hypoproteinemia, dry skin, etc.

?Dangerous Complications of Malabsorption Syndrome
If not detected and managed early, malabsorption in children can lead to several serious health issues:

• High risk of infection.
• Growth retardation and malnutrition.
• Deficiency of essential vitamins, leading to anemia, cognitive developmental delays, etc.

?Management and Prevention of Malabsorption Syndrome in Children
Upon detecting symptoms of malabsorption, parents should follow the guidance of nutrition experts.

• Adjust the child's diet to ensure nutritional balance according to expert recommendations.
• Supplement micronutrients as prescribed.
• Perform periodic deworming for the child.
• Increase physical activity: Encourage children to participate in physical activities to enhance intestinal motility, which improves appetite and facilitates the digestion and absorption of food.

However, to accurately determine the cause and severity of malabsorption, children must undergo a clinical examination and nutritional assessment by specialists to establish an appropriate and effective treatment regimen.

☘☘At the Nutrition Clinic and Consultation System of Hanoi Medical University, the process of examination, consultation, treatment, and nutritional care is scientifically structured—ranging from clinical assessment and diagnostic testing to dietary planning based on the child's preferences and habits, as well as guidance on scientific food preparation—to effectively support the treatment of malabsorption syndrome in children.


For further information, please contact:
??HANOI MEDICAL UNIVERSITY NUTRITION CLINIC AND CONSULTATION
Address: Facility 1: No. 1 Ton That Tung, Dong Da District, Hanoi.
Facility 2: No. 35 Le Van Thiem, Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi.
Hotline: 086.896.2679 / 02462597231
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