Symptoms of CSID may
not be apparent in infants.
Breast milk does not contain sucrose, so they may not appear until they begin to eat foods that contain sucrose and starch.1
Chronic, watery diarrhea and failure to thrive are the most common symptoms in infants and toddlers.1 Other symptoms include abdominal distention (bloating/swelling), gassiness, colic, irritability, scratched and reddened buttocks, severe diaper rash due to acidic diarrhea, indigestion (dyspepsia), and vomiting.1-3 In some ethnic groups, notably indigenous people of Greenland and Alaska, the GI symptoms associated with CSID may not be as prominent if they eat a diet traditional in their community that is low in carbohydrates and high in proteins and fats.1,2
A small number of patients affected by CSID may need to be hospitalized for diarrhea-induced dehydration, malnutrition, muscle wasting, and weakness.1-3 Patients with a confirmed diagnosis of CSID commonly report being examined first by their doctors for more common GI disorders, including toddler’s diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D), celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, and food allergies.1,4