Differential Diagnosis for Occasional Steatorrhea in a 2-Year-Old Girl
Single Most Likely Diagnosis
- Toddler's Diarrhea: This condition is common in toddlers and is characterized by intermittent episodes of diarrhea, which may include steatorrhea (fatty stools), due to a diet high in fat and low in fiber, or due to a viral gastroenteritis that has led to a temporary lactose intolerance or other malabsorption issues.
Other Likely Diagnoses
- Celiac Disease: An autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to react to gluten, leading to inflammation and damage in the small intestine, which can cause malabsorption of nutrients and steatorrhea.
- Lactose Intolerance: The inability to digest lactose, a sugar found in milk and other dairy products, due to a deficiency of the enzyme lactase in the small intestine, which can lead to diarrhea and steatorrhea after consuming lactose-containing products.
- Gastrointestinal Infections: Certain bacterial, viral, or parasitic infections can cause inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, leading to malabsorption and steatorrhea.
Do Not Miss Diagnoses
- Cystic Fibrosis: A genetic disorder that affects the lungs, pancreas, and other organs, causing severe damage due to very thick, sticky mucus that clogs the airways and traps bacteria, leading to recurrent respiratory infections, and also affects the pancreas, leading to malabsorption of fats and certain vitamins.
- Pancreatic Insufficiency: A condition where the pancreas does not produce enough digestive enzymes, leading to malabsorption of nutrients, including fats, which can cause steatorrhea.
- Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome: A rare genetic disorder characterized by exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, bone marrow dysfunction, skeletal abnormalities, and short stature, which can also lead to steatorrhea due to pancreatic insufficiency.
Rare Diagnoses
- Abetalipoproteinemia: A rare inherited disorder that affects the absorption of fat and fat-soluble vitamins, leading to steatorrhea and other systemic complications.
- Chronic Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction: A rare condition characterized by impaired intestinal motility, leading to symptoms of intestinal obstruction without any physical blockage, which can include steatorrhea among other gastrointestinal symptoms.
- Pearson Syndrome: A rare mitochondrial disorder that affects multiple systems, including the hematopoietic, pancreatic, and hepatic systems, leading to various symptoms including steatorrhea due to pancreatic insufficiency.