Why is my baby poorly absorbing nutrients and growing slowly?

Causes of poor absorption in babies
Malabsorption means absorbing fewer nutrients from food than normal, so your baby may eat well but still grow slowly. This has many causes, typically:

- An unsuitable diet: lacking some nutrients needed for your baby's absorption and development (vitamins, zinc, magnesium, calcium,...).
- Digestive disorders: due to infection or gut flora imbalance from eating spoiled or unhygienic food, or from long-term antibiotic use.
Diseases of the liver, pancreas or digestive tract (gastritis/duodenitis, irritable bowel syndrome,...) reduce the secretion of digestive juices. When your baby lacks essential nutrients, they also lack the energy for the body's normal activities. In the long term this leads to malnutrition, slow growth in height and weight, and poor cognitive and intellectual development. Moreover, the immune system weakens, making respiratory infections (sore throat, pneumonia…) and digestive infections (diarrhoea, constipation…) more likely.
How to help a baby with poor absorption and slow growth
Dear parents, whatever dish you prepare for weaning, the first principle is to include all 4 basic food groups: staple foods (cereals, potatoes and root vegetables,...); foods rich in vitamins and minerals (such as vegetables and fruit,...); protein-rich foods (such as meat, fish, eggs, milk,...); energy-rich foods (oil, butter, fat, sugar). Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients; although only small amounts are needed, they play an extremely important role. So which foods provide enough vitamins and minerals?
Vitamin A: related to vision; many children have poor eyesight due to vitamin A deficiency. Vitamin A is found in: breast milk, animal liver, egg yolk, and orange and dark green fruits and vegetables.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C slows oxidation and helps strengthen blood vessel walls. Foods rich in vitamin C include: oranges, mangoes, melons, tomatoes, green vegetables, cauliflower,..
Vitamin B1: Vitamin B1 deficiency in young children can be linked to conditions such as acute heart failure, loss of voice, and problems with the meninges and nerves. Vitamin B1 is plentiful in rice, wheat flour, nuts, seeds and cereals,...

Vitamin D: Vitamin D plays a role in the development of bones and joints and in your child's physical growth. Foods rich in vitamin D include foods containing polyunsaturated fats such as salmon, mackerel, herring, yoghurt, cream, fish liver,...
Foods rich in vitamin E: papaya, mango, foods containing vegetable oils such as corn and sunflower oil; dark green foods such as broccoli, asparagus, radish, spinach,... Getting enough vitamins and minerals will help your child have balanced nutrition and grow up healthy.

You can give your baby all the nutrients they need from fruit, meat, fish, eggs, milk, oils and fats, beans,... over several meals a day, prepared in suitable ways that make eating enjoyable for your baby. You should also add probiotics from yoghurt, fermented drinks and cheese, and vitamins from juices, smoothies and syrups, to boost your baby's appetite and absorption. Even so, the most effective solution is to take your child to a doctor or nutritionist for an examination, advice and a safe, evidence-based treatment for poor absorption and slow growth!

Reference: Suc khoe va Doi song (Health and Life)