Cow's Milk Protein Intolerance and Childhood Constipation

WILLIAM MORA

Clinical Briefs

Sep 15, 2003

Thyroid Nodules and Survivors of Hodgkin's Disease

Letters to the Editor

Cow's Milk Protein Intolerance and Childhood Constipation

WILLIAM MORA, M.D.,

3301 Alta Arden, Ste. 3, Sacramento, CA 95825

American Family Physician. 2003;68(6):1016.

to the editor: In the March 1, 2003 issue of American Family Physician, the department “Clinical Evidence”¹ addressed the effects of various treatments for childhood constipation. The author only briefly touches on the factor of dietary factors by stating that there are “no randomized controlled trials on the effects of increasing dietary fiber in children.”

In my experience, intolerance of cow's milk is a significant cause of childhood constipation. A popular pediatric textbook² lists excessive milk intake as a cause of constipation in children. A double-blind study³ of 65 children with chronic constipation who failed to respond to laxatives showed resolution of the constipation in 66 percent of the subjects while on soy milk.

WILLIAM MORA, M.D.

3301 Alta Arden, Ste. 3

Sacramento, CA 95825

1.Rubin GP. Childhood constipation. [Clin Evidence] Am Fam Physician. 2003;67:1041-2.
2.Sondheimer JM. Gastrointestinal tract. In: Hay WW. Current pediatric diagnosis & treatment. 15th ed. Norwalk, Conn: Appleton & Lange, 2001:561.
3.Iacono G, Cavataio F, Montalto G, Florena A, Tumminello M, Soresi M, et al. Intolerance of cow's milk and chronic constipation in children. N Engl J Med. 1998;339:1100-4.

Email letter submissions to afplet@aafp.org. Letters should be fewer than 400 words and limited to six references, one table or figure, and three authors. Letters submitted for publication in AFP must not be submitted to any other publication. Letters may be edited to meet style and space requirements.

This series is coordinated by Kenny Lin, MD, MPH, deputy editor.

Clinical Briefs

Sep 15, 2003

Thyroid Nodules and Survivors of Hodgkin's Disease

[afp20030915p1016-b1] 1.Rubin GP. Childhood constipation. [Clin Evidence] Am Fam Physician. 2003;67:1041-2.

[afp20030915p1016-b2] 2.Sondheimer JM. Gastrointestinal tract. In: Hay WW. Current pediatric diagnosis & treatment. 15th ed. Norwalk, Conn: Appleton & Lange, 2001:561.

[afp20030915p1016-b3] 3.Iacono G, Cavataio F, Montalto G, Florena A, Tumminello M, Soresi M, et al. Intolerance of cow's milk and chronic constipation in children. N Engl J Med. 1998;339:1100-4.

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Cow's Milk Protein Intolerance and Childhood Constipation

Cow's Milk Protein Intolerance and Childhood Constipation

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