Pathogenesis, diagnosis, dietary management, and prevention of gastrointestinal disorders in the paediatric population

Abstract

Nutrition has a central role in child growth with long-term effects, and nutrition management in gastrointestinal disorders has great importance for child health and disease outcomes. Breast milk is the first choice for infant nutrition. When it is not available, special milk formulas are adopted in specific conditions, as a medical treatment. Moving from the strong guidelines, recommendations and the new possibilities of special diet treatment, this review will analyse the current diet treatment in different gastrointestinal disorders, including food allergy, cystic fibrosis, inflammatory bowel diseases, short-bowel syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux, and eosinophilic esophagitis. The review also aimed at understanding the role of diet and its effects on these diseases. The growth monitoring can prevent malnutrition and improve disease outcomes, particularly in children, and an appropriate dietary management targeted to specific disorders is the best therapeutic choice alone or in combination with pharmacological therapy.

Advances for pediatricians in 2022: allergy, anesthesiology, cardiology, dermatology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, genetics, global health, infectious diseases, metabolism, neonatology, neurology, oncology, pulmonology

“…The effect of diet in the prevention and treatment of several conditions with gastrointestinal symptoms attracts constant attention. Pulvirenti et al [63] summarized studies on diseases that are cured by eliminating the offending food or need an appropriate dietary management to prevent malnutrition. A causal role of food has been found in food allergy, including eosinophil esophagitis and regurgitation.…”