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Dr. Andrew Rynne
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Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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6 Year Old, Diarrhea, Upset Stomach. On Stool Softeners. Is This Lactose Intolerance?

Hi. My son is 6 years old and has a lot of issues with diarrhea and upset stomach. The doctor had him on stool softeners, but that did not help. Even when he doesn't have dairy products this happens though. It happens at least twice a day. He will be going back to school soon and I am worried that this will happen at school and I worry about him getting embarrassed. Do you think this is lactose intolerance?
Thu, 22 Aug 2013
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Pediatrician,  's  Response
Hi i am dr kadhir , a pediatrician.
At first i would like to know the reason why he has been put on stool softeners, stool softeners are used for constipation ( difficulty in passing stools) .
Second i want to know how many times he has loose stools per day ( diarrhea is any altered consistency of stools), as a normal child can pass stools which is semisolid in consistency - 2 to 3 times per day.
Now to make it simpler , i want to explain that secondary lactose intolerance is a problem due to difficulty in digesting lactose ( milk is a main source of lactose ) and is mostly seen in first year of life , the symptoms are excessive flatulence , nausea , abdominal cramps or pain , diarrhea with in 30 mins to 1 hr of milk consumption. this does not happen when there is no intake of milk or its products.
i want answers to few questions
whether he has weight loss or faltering growth
he has any signs of dehydration or tiredness, abdominal pain.
whether his problems make him worried or depressed
more information on the stool color ( blood stained or pale ) , mucus in stools?
any of the answer is yes , its best to see a pediatrician who can spend time with you, to get a focused history, examine your child and answer your query's.
thank you for your consultation.
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Pediatrician,  Dr. E Venkata Ramana's  Response
Hi,

Thank you for your query on Healthcare Magic.

As he is having diarrhea issue in spite of elimination of dairy products from his diet, it is not looking like lactose intolerance.

Stool should be investigated for infection, malabsorption, and for other inflammatory bowel problems.

Give stool for routine, microscopy, for ova and cysts, culture and sensitivity as the part of initial evaluation with the doctor consultation.

Depending on initial evaluation and reports, further testing is required.

So I advise you to consult the pediatrician for evaluation.

Hope I have answered your query.

Regards.
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6 Year Old, Diarrhea, Upset Stomach. On Stool Softeners. Is This Lactose Intolerance?

Hi i am dr kadhir , a pediatrician. At first i would like to know the reason why he has been put on stool softeners, stool softeners are used for constipation ( difficulty in passing stools) . Second i want to know how many times he has loose stools per day ( diarrhea is any altered consistency of stools), as a normal child can pass stools which is semisolid in consistency - 2 to 3 times per day. Now to make it simpler , i want to explain that secondary lactose intolerance is a problem due to difficulty in digesting lactose ( milk is a main source of lactose ) and is mostly seen in first year of life , the symptoms are excessive flatulence , nausea , abdominal cramps or pain , diarrhea with in 30 mins to 1 hr of milk consumption. this does not happen when there is no intake of milk or its products. i want answers to few questions whether he has weight loss or faltering growth he has any signs of dehydration or tiredness, abdominal pain. whether his problems make him worried or depressed more information on the stool color ( blood stained or pale ) , mucus in stools? any of the answer is yes , its best to see a pediatrician who can spend time with you, to get a focused history, examine your child and answer your query s. thank you for your consultation.