Every experienced mother knows what the stool should be for a baby. If, when changing the diaper, a change in the color of feces or the presence of streaks of blood is observed, this should alert parents. Such symptoms are far from always signaling dangerous pathologies, but it is better not to miss them in order to diagnose the disease in time and cure it faster. In our article, we will talk about why there are blood streaks in the feces of the baby. Be sure to dwell on other symptoms of pathology and how to treat a child.
What does a normal stool look like in a child?
In the first day or two after birth, the newborn begins to depart the original feces - meconium. It is black with a greenish tint, viscous consistency and has no characteristic odor. The appearance of meconium is evidence that the intestines of the baby are working properly. On the third or fourth day, the baby's feces acquire a different color and consistency. Usually at this time, the mother and the baby are discharged from the hospital home. So, by this time, meconium should completely leave the body of the child.
By the second week of a newborn’s life, his feces turn yellow or mustard. It has a liquid, porridge-like consistency. The smell of the chair is unsharp, sour. The presence in the feces of white grains or a small amount of mucus is allowed. The main thing is that the chair is not too dense or, conversely, watery.
At each diaper change, its contents should be inspected in order to identify pathology in time. It should be remembered that the nature of the stool is an important indicator of the health status of the baby.
When not to worry?
On breastfeeding, there are several options for stool in color and consistency. Even the absence of bowel movements during the day is not considered constipation if the stool looks like a yellow, soft gruel. In fact, the color of feces may vary for the following reasons:
- Products in the diet of a lactating woman. If on the eve of the mother's menu there were tomatoes, beets, black currants, the baby's stool can become a reddish hue. But this does not mean that the baby feces with blood.
- Taking medication. If the mother takes antibiotics, medications containing iron, or tablets with dyes in the composition, the color of the baby’s stool will certainly change.
- The introduction of complementary foods. When a child becomes acquainted with a new food for him, changes occur in his digestive system, including with stool. This should not be a concern for mom.
Why does a baby in feces have blood streaks?
It is worth noting that such a problem can occur in a child both on breastfeeding and on artificial feeding. The appearance of blood in the feces can be triggered by a number of factors. One of the most common causes of this condition is cracks in the nipples of the mother. In this case, namely breastfeeding, blood in the feces of the baby is more likely to be the norm than pathology. It enters the baby’s body along with breast milk. And since the walls of his stomach still secrete an insufficient amount of enzymes and hydrochloric acid necessary for digesting food, red streaks appear in the baby's feces.
In general, blood in a baby’s stool can come from two sources:
- From the upper digestive system. In this case, the blood in the feces is explained by pathological processes in the stomach, esophagus, and duodenum.
- From the lower intestines. The reason for this condition lies in diseases of the colon and rectum, as well as the anus.
Pathological causes of blood in the feces in infants
It is quite difficult to establish independently why the child has scarlet streaks in the stool. For this, a comprehensive examination is carried out in a medical institution. But parents should know for what reasons most often feces with blood streaks appear in the baby:
- Anal fissures. The indicated pathology is characteristic of children of any age, and not only for infants. In this case, the blood is directly on the surface of the feces, remains on toilet paper, a napkin. The child feels discomfort during bowel movements, groans, writhes from pain, sometimes cries a lot.
- Allergic reaction. This problem is most often encountered by children on artificial or mixed feeding. Blood in the stool occurs when you are allergic to milk protein, which is part of the mixture.
- Intestinal invagination. Pathology is most often found in children from 4 months to 1 year. The disease begins acutely, with severe abdominal pain, vomiting. Feces are reminiscent of jelly with impurities of mucus and blood.
- Intestinal infections. Such diseases as dysentery, typhoid fever, botulism, salmonellosis, and infants are extremely rare. But parents should be alert for such dangerous symptoms as diarrhea with streaks of blood, nausea, fever.
- Polyps. The disease is accompanied by constant constipation, difficulty with bowel movements and streaks of blood in the feces. Such a pathology is treated only surgically.
- Helminthiasis. It is quite difficult for a baby to become infected with worms, but for children under the age of 5 this problem is very relevant. In this case, the baby is worried about itching in the anus, diarrhea, intermittent sleep.
Symptoms of pathology
Blood streaks in the feces of the baby are the main sign of pathological changes in the body of the baby. They do not always indicate a dangerous disease, but letting the situation go by itself is not worth it. Depending on the specific disease that caused the appearance of blood clots in the stool, the child may experience the following symptoms:
- diarrhea and mucus;
- constipation, difficulty with bowel movements;
- nausea, vomiting;
- a sharp increase in body temperature;
- pain in the abdomen (the baby cries, bending the legs).
If a child, along with bloody streaks in feces, has at least one of the above signs, he needs an additional examination to make a correct diagnosis and prescribe timely treatment.
When is it necessary to see a doctor?
Blood streaks in the stool do not always require treatment. For example, if their appearance is associated with damage to the nipples in the nursing mother or cracks in the anus. Such simple problems often go away on their own. The main thing is to try not to aggravate the situation and help the child get rid of constipation as soon as possible.
If there is a lot of blood in the stool, it is dark, clotted, or, conversely, liquid and scarlet, you must immediately seek medical help. In the first case, the cause may be internal bleeding, and in the second, indicate problems in the lower intestine, for example, the presence of a bleeding tumor.
Diagnostic Methods
The first thing that the doctor does, at the appointment to which the baby with blood streaks in the feces was brought, palpates the stomach and anal area. In addition, additional examinations will be mandatory:
- General analysis of shelter and urine.
- Analysis of feces for dysbiosis.
- Coprogram.
- Ultrasound of the abdomen.
- Fibrogastroduodenoscopy.
- Intestinal biopsy (performed under general anesthesia).
What does the stool coprogram show?
Laboratory analysis of feces will allow you to accurately determine the cause of most internal bleeding. A coprogram is prescribed in order to detect occult blood and make the correct diagnosis for blood streaks in the feces of the baby. When decoding the results, the following pathological changes can be identified:
- the presence of impurities in the feces, including blood, is often a sign of internal bleeding in one of the intestines;
- the presence of bilirubin - this bile pigment can only be in the stool of the baby while breastfeeding, and on artificial or mixed analysis should be negative;
- the presence of red blood cells or white blood cells - an excess of their norm is observed with a polyp, ulcer, helminthiasis and various formations (tumors) in the intestine;
- the presence of protein - indicates an inflammatory process in the intestine;
- a change in the consistency of feces - foamy stools may indicate the presence of intestinal infection in the body.
If the infectious nature of the disease is suspected, the child is tested for microorganisms.
Therapeutic measures
If blood streaks are found in the feces of the baby, self-treatment can be even more dangerous than the disease itself. It must be remembered that treatment is prescribed only after receiving the results of the examination and making the correct diagnosis.
Depending on the cause of the appearance of blood in the stool of the baby, the following types of therapy may be shown to him:
- a diet that excludes allergenic foods;
- ointments, creams;
- antiviral and antimicrobial agents, antibiotics;
- with constipation - a laxative (for example, "Dufalac").
In especially difficult cases, only surgery can solve the problem.
Advice from experienced pediatricians and Dr. Komarovsky’s opinion on the problem
A well-known pediatrician believes that parents should not ignore the presence of blood streaks in the feces of the baby. Komarovsky believes that often the cause of this condition is constipation. He recommends that a nursing mother change her diet to include prunes, fermented milk products, and clean water. Be sure to use the elements of therapeutic exercises with flexion and extension of the legs.
Pediatricians warn parents that blood in the stool is not the norm for healthy children. Their advice comes down to the following:
- The presence of blood veins in the feces, along with a fever, frequent loose stools with an admixture of mucus, vomiting, abdominal pain, requires immediate attention to a pediatrician or infectious disease doctor.
- Late access to a doctor in the presence of blood in the stool for a long time only exacerbates the current situation and complicates the treatment.
- Specialists (gastroenterologists and surgeons-proctologists) do not advise self-medication and immediately consult a doctor if blood impurities are found in the feces of the baby. Komarovsky believes that a pediatrician should be visited even if no other symptoms of dangerous diseases were found.
Preventative measures
The smaller the baby’s age, the more difficult it is to endure even the mildest disease. Therefore, in order not to engage in long-term treatment, it is necessary to timely carry out preventive measures:
- Starting from infancy, accustom a child to wash his hands with soap, which will avoid intestinal infections and helminth infections.
- Provide balanced nutrition for mother and baby to avoid solid stool.
- If salmonellosis is found in one of the adult members of the family, it should be isolated from contact with children in order to avoid infection.