Intractable diarrhoea of infancy.

The intractable diarrhoea syndrome of infancy continues to be a major diagnostic 
and therapeutic challenge to the paediatrician and paediatric gastroenterologist. A carefully 
organized, staged approach to diagnosis will provide the best method of 
identifying those infants in whom a specific aetiology exists and for 
whom specific therapy is often available. Regardless of aetiology, however, the 
early use of appropriate nutritional support will not only reduce morbidity 
and mortality in these infants, but will prevent the development of 
many of the secondary consequences of malnutrition. The physician must compulsively 
pay attention to the details of daily management and provide an 
organized approach to diagnosis and treatment in order to improve the 
outcome of infants with intractable diarrhoea. 