Fructose is a sugar that is found naturally in foods or can be added to foods as a sweetener. An estimated 30 percent of the population -- including children -- may experience a fructose malabsorption issue at some point in time. Diagnosing this condition in children may be more difficult because children are not as able to effectively convey their symptoms. Careful observation of your child can help identify potential fructose malabsorption issues.
Malabsorption vs. Intolerance
Two fructose-related conditions that affect absorption can be diagnosed in children. The first is fructose malabsorption. This condition is more common and occurs when cells on the surface of your child's intestines that digest fructose do not work properly, affecting digestion. Fructose intolerance, the more severe of the two conditions, occurs when the enzyme that breaks down fructose is not present at all. Making the distinction is important because fructose intolerance requires a complete avoidance of fructose, while those with fructose malabsorption problems can eat a small amount of fructose.
Symptoms
When the body cannot break down fructose, it is left to circulate in the body. Both fructose malabsorption and intolerance can cause a number of problems, including bloating, abdominal pain and cramping, diarrhea, constipation and acid reflux. In severe instances, it can cause nausea and vomiting. The symptoms closely resemble those of irritable bowel syndrome. Fructose malabsorption also is associated with increased incidence of depression and mood swings, according to the website FoodIntol.com.
Foods to Avoid
If your child has a fructose malabsorption problem, you may need to carefully watch her diet. Read food labels carefully for ingredients like fructose, high-fructose corn syrup, sucrose and powdered sugar. Avoid packing fruit juices, sweetened milk or regular sodas in school lunches because these often contain fructose. You also may wish to tell someone at your child's school that he has a fructose malabsorption issue to ensure that he is not given foods that could be harmful to him.
Warning
If you or your partner has a hereditary fructose intolerance problem, notify your physician. Not only can the condition be hereditary, but this can direct your physician as to what diagnostic tests to perform. If your physician does not know you have hereditary fructose intolerance, she may recommend tests for fructose malabsorption instead, which involve drinking fructose. Performing this test on a child with hereditary fructose intolerance could have adverse symptoms, like vomiting, nausea or even liver failure and therefore should be avoided.
References
- University of Iowa Healthcare; Dietary Fructose Intolerance; 2004
- Food Intolerance Diagnostics; Fructose (Fruit Sugar) and Fructan Intolerance; 2011
- Food Intol: Fructose Intolerance & Fructose Malabsorption
- PubMed Health; Hereditary Fructose Intolerance; April 2009
- MayoClinic.com; Fructose Intolerance: Which Foods Should I Avoid?; Katherine Zeratsky, RD, LD; March 2011
Member Comments