It is possible for some children to be malnourished even though they are eating a balanced diet. This may be due to malabsorption. Malabsorption is the body’s inability to  absorb nutrients from the digestive system into the blood stream.

The digestive process usually converts nutrients in food into small units  that pass through the intestines  and into the blood stream. They are then carried to other cells in the body.

When there is damage to  the intestinal wall from viruses, bacteria or parasites, it causes changes to its surface  and as a result digested substances cannot pass  through. When this happens, the nutrients are eliminated through stool instead absorbed.

Malabsorption can occur in normal children for a couple of days as a result of stomach or intestinal flu. It doesn’t last for a long time because the surface of the intestines heal without any real damage. This is no cause for alarm. However if your child has chronic malabsorption, you have to notify your doctor.

What are the symptoms of  chronic malabsorption ?

Symptoms include the following :

• persistent, abdominal pain and vomiting
• chronic , foul-smelling diarrhea
• failure to grow
• increased risk of infections
• bone  fractures
• dry, scaly skin rashes
• weight loss with the loss of fat and muscles

How is malabsorption treated ?

To be treated for malabsorption, the doctor has to determine what is causing it. The doctor can find out the cause by doing the following :

• asking you the amount and type of food the child eats
• test the child’s ability to digest and absorb nutrients
• collect and analyze stool sample
• collection of sweat on the skin to check for the presence of cystic fibrosis
• in some cases, the child may be referred to a pediatric gastroenterologist  to obtain a  biopsy of the walls of the small intestines to check for inflammation , signs of infection or any other injury

The child may have to go though these tests before treatment  is started. If the child is very sick,  she may be hospitalized to receive special feeding while being evaluated.

Once the doctor finds out the cause of the child’s  condition, treatment will begin. If it is caused by an infection, she will be given antibiotics. If it is because the intestines is very active, the child will be given medication to counteract this effect so that there is enough time for food to be  absorbed.

In some cases, the exact cause is not known. In this case diet may be changed to include food that are well tolerated and easily absorbed.