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Approach to a Child with Malabsorption

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Textbook of Clinical Pediatrics

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Malabsorption refers to conditions arising from abnormalities in digestion and absorption of nutrients during their passage through the gastrointestinal tract. It can result from defects in any of the three phases of digestion and absorption:

  1. 1.

    Defects in intraluminal hydrolysis of nutrient

  2. 2.

    Defects in mucosal absorption

  3. 3.

    Vascular and lymphatic defects affecting transport of nutrients

Some disorders are more generalized and affect the absorption of many nutrients, vitamins, and minerals; others are more selective and involve specific nutrients.

Etiology and Pathophysiology

Malabsorption can be caused by many diseases affecting the small intestine (Table 184.1 ) and pancreas (Table 184.2 ). It also can be caused by diseases of the liver and biliary system such as cholestatic liver diseases, cirrhosis, portal hypertension, and inborn errors of bile acid biosynthesis.

Table 184.1 Intestinal diseases causing malabsorption
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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Michigan, 3901 Beaubien St, 48201, Detroit, MI, USA

    Dr. Mohammad El Baba M.B.B.S, M.D. (Assistant Professor of Pediatrics)

Authors
  1. Dr. Mohammad El Baba M.B.B.S, M.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohammad El Baba M.B.B.S, M.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia

    Abdelaziz Y. Elzouki (Professor of Pediatrics) (Professor of Pediatrics)

  2. National Center of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (NCAAI), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Harb A. Harfi (Director) (Director)

  3. Consultant Pediatric Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Islamic Hospital, Amman, Jordan

    Hisham M. Nazer

  4. Seattle Children's Hospital University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA

    F. Bruder Stapleton (Professor and Chair Department of Pediatrics) (Professor and Chair Department of Pediatrics)

  5. Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Woman and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI, USA

    William Oh (Professor of Pediatrics) (Professor of Pediatrics)

  6. University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL, USA

    Richard J. Whitley (Professor of Pediatrics) (Professor of Pediatrics)

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© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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El Baba, M. (2012). Approach to a Child with Malabsorption. In: Elzouki, A.Y., Harfi, H.A., Nazer, H.M., Stapleton, F.B., Oh, W., Whitley, R.J. (eds) Textbook of Clinical Pediatrics. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-02202-9_184

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-02202-9_184

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-02201-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-02202-9

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