Diarrhea from Dietetic Candies

IN recent years "sugarless" candies and soft drinks containing sorbitol, marinitol or both as replacement for sucrose and starches1 have been consumed in increasing quantities by children. The hexitols, recommended in weight-reduction programs and for the prevention of dental caries, present the advantage of being acted upon slowly by bacteria of the oral cavity and of being slowly absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract.2 Because of these very properties diarrhea may follow the ingestion of sufficient quantities of the sugar alcohols.Case ReportD.G., a well developed, well nourished 24 month-old boy, had been free from gastrointestinal symptoms. One day, 2 . . .