Question Title: Abnormal stools in 5 year old since birth

Topic Area: Digestive

: : My son has always experienced digestion issues. (from birth to three-milk, melon, poultry allergies, skin rashes, 5-10 diarrhea diapers/day, terrible stomach upset, etc.) Now at 5, he has been symptomatically diagnosed as lactose intolerant. He drinks liquids constantly (between 8-10 8 oz glasses/day). His pediatrician is not concerned about diabetes due to 5 year physical labs. His stools are light in color with mucous with little form and most of the time, floating. I cannot recall him every having a normal brown, well formed stool. His diet is fair: Bananas, cereal, wheat bread, breakfast bars, orange juice, lactose and fat free milk, pasta. He loves red meat and we work hard to keep intake to the equivalent of two hamburgers per week. He eats almost zero sweets - doesn't care for them - especially dislikes chocolate. But some juices he drinks include high fructose corn syrup. (Only drinks one of these a day at most) SOme vegetables. Part of me thinks he might now be able to tolerate a lot of vitamin C. I'm not sure what makes me think that - just a mother gut thing and no medical/scientific basis at all...A third person in our family was just diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. When my mom was diagnosed two years ago, she had very similar stools to my sons. This is making me think I better investigate a little. Are his stools considered normal? Does this indicate a problem that I should talk to my pediatrician about? Is there something I should change in his diet? Should I even be concerned? Thank you for having this forum. My son seems very healthy to me: 90% height and weight. THis is why I've never even thought to consider the above an issue. But now need some reassurance. Thanks again.
Cheryl
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Dear Cheryl S.:

The growth chart helps you and your son’s pediatrician follow his growth and compare it to a large well studied population of healthy children of the same age . If he is growing well ( 90th centile is appropriate if that’s where he’s been all along ) , it indicates he is receiving adequate nutrition , digesting it , absorbing it , metabolizing it and utilizing it in his system .
Steatorrhea ( or fatty , bulky , foul-smelling , floating pale stools ) can be caused by a variety of diseases , including pancreatic insufficiency , bile salt abnormalities , bacterial overgrowth , or an abnormality in the end of the small intestine .
To have fat malabsorption from pancreatic disease or bile salt abnormalities , the child would PRESENT with poor growth , fat soluble vitamin deficiency and increased fat in their stools.
To identify any of these conditions , you have to find out if your son is truly having fatty stools . Let his pediatrician check the stools . Show him/her a stool specimen , if there is any doubt that they are abnormal , an outpatient test can be done . A 3-day calorie count , a 72 hour stool fecal fat collection , some blood tests including serum amylase , lipase . If any of these are abnormal , a referral to a pediatric gastroenterologist is recommended.
Diabetes mellitus would present with increased drinking (craving for liquids) , increased frequency of urination , weight loss and fatigue . Blood and urine tests would show abnormally high glucose due to insulin deficiency.
Pancreatic tumors are rarely seen in childhood and young adults . It usually presents with an abdominal mass , weight loss , pain and jaundice .

Thank you for your question

Disclaimer : this information is intended for educational purposes only. Your physician is ultimately responsible for the care , diagnosis and treatment of any health problems .

Keywords : steatorrhea* ( gastroenterology )