Pancreatic Insufficiency in Children

Pancreatic insufficiency in children can occur as a result of progressive damage to the pancreas from disorders such as Shwachman-Diamond Sydrome (SDS) and cystic fibrosis (CF). Children that suffer from pancreatic insufficiency have trouble gaining weight and have symptoms of malabsorption.

Identification

• Pancreatic insufficiency is the body's inability to produce and transport the digestive enzymes that are necessary to break down the food in the intestine and allow absorption. This is a rare condition in children, but it is a cause of failure to thrive in children and and can cause many issues from malabsorption.

Symptoms

• The symptoms most commonly associated with pancreatic insufficiency in children may include chronic diarrhea, failure to gain weight, anemia, hypoalbuminemia (a condition affecting the levels of albumin in blood serum) and steatorrhea. According to Practical Gastro, steatorrhea is the excretion of fat that exceeds 7 percent of fat intake. Symptoms associated with steatorrhea include symptoms of bacterial overgrowth, failure to thrive, diarrhea, hypoalbuminemia, trace element or mineral deficiency and edema (swelling).

Causes

• The most common cause of pancreatic insufficiency in children is caused by cystic fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis causes a sticky build-up of mucous in the body and can lead to severe problems in the pancreas and lungs. Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that is usually diagnosed in early childhood.

  Another cause of pancreatic insufficiency in children is Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome. This is a rare disease which affects the pancreas and is the second most common cause of pancreatic insufficiency in children. Children that suffer from this condition exhibit symptoms of failure to thrive, feeding problems and recurrent infections. According to the Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome Foundation, approximately 85 percent of all children diagnosed with this condition suffer from recurrent infections, which can be severe.

Diagnosis

• In order to make the diagnosis of pancreatic insufficiency in children, the doctor must consider a wide range of medical conditions that may cause similar symptoms. Diagnostic tests to determine if the child has cystic fibrosis or Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome may be performed. The Sweat Test, a stool smear and breath testing are tests that may be done to confirm the diagnosis of pancreatic insufficiency and discover the underlying cause of this condition.

Treatment

• The treatment for pancreatic insufficiency in children may include enzyme replacement therapy and monitoring weight gain. Infants that are diagnosed with this condition may be placed on an infant formula that is high in medium-chain triglycerides and supplemented with fat-soluble vitamins.