Question

My 11-month-old daughter has been diagnosed with a condition called acidosis. How serious is this condition?

Answer

Acidosis refers to any condition causing an acid-base imbalance in the body with an increase in acidity. Assuming that your child does not have "respiratory acidosis" (meaning her body has trouble getting rid of carbon dioxide), it is likely that the condition you refer to is a "metabolic acidosis." Metabolic acidosis arises either from loss of bicarbonate from the body or from buildup of other acids (the most common being ketone bodies or lactic acid). The seriousness of "acidosis" depends on the cause and the degree of the condition. Your doctor should be able to tell you what is causing the acidosis, or at least rule out the serious known causes.