A loving and caring parent always notices the slightest changes in the state of his child. In this case, it will not be difficult for him to determine what his child feces smells like. The smell of feces is the first and most accurate diagnostic criterion that a child may have health problems. Having discovered an unnatural, fetid odor in time, many diseases can be prevented. In this article we will consider what the smell of feces should be normal and what the acidic smell of feces in infants may indicate.
What does the smell of feces tell us?
Depending on what your baby is eating, the stool smell will be different. Feces become odor due to indole, hydrogen sulfide, phenol, methane and skatol. All these are decay products of the food that your baby consumed. If the parents know how the child’s feces should smell normal, then it will be easier for them to determine the presence of deviations in their state of health.
It is very important to always evaluate and analyze the baby's stool. In infancy, he will not tell you that something is bothering him. But the nature of the chair is quite noticeable. Therefore, if you notice an acidic smell in the feces of the baby, then this may indicate the presence of any disturbances in the digestive system.
The smell of feces is normal
Initially, the baby's stool has no smell. This is the so-called primordial feces (meconium), which formed in the womb. Only on the third day of the baby's life can you notice changes in bowel movements. In addition, they will differ, depending on the type of feeding the baby.
If the baby is fed breast milk, then the slightly sour smell of feces is quite normal. But if you suddenly feel a strong sour smell of feces in a child, then it is better to inform the pediatrician about this.
In artificial children, the smell of feces will be sharper. In addition, you should not be scared if you feel a putrid odor - for children on artificial feeding, this is a variant of the norm.
When should you beware?
So, when should parents sound the alarm and take action? The sharp sour smell of feces in the baby can signal the presence of fermentative dyspepsia. Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, bloating and flatulence. A liquid stool of a green hue, similar to foam, indicates a violation of the absorption of milk sugar.
A strong fetid odor can acquire feces if the baby has problems with the pancreas and large intestine. Also, such foods can be provoked by complementary foods, which contain gluten.
Feces that have the smell of rot are symptoms of colitis, putrefactive dyspepsia, impaired intestinal motility, impaired digestion in the stomach, and dysbiosis.
In all of the above cases, it is recommended to contact a pediatrician to examine the crumbs and take appropriate measures.
Diagnostic measures
The appearance of an acidic smell of feces in an infant requires a diagnosis of health status. The complex of mandatory diagnostic procedures includes:
- finding out the causes of the unpleasant odor in the stool;
- visual inspection;
- clinical blood test (to detect an inflammatory process in the body);
- coprogram (fecal examination);
- bacteriological culture of feces (to detect infectious diseases).
All other diagnostic measures, if necessary, are prescribed by the pediatrician for a more accurate analysis of the situation.
Breastfeeding and feces
As we already mentioned, meconium is odorless because it consists of amniotic fluid, epithelial cells and other substances swallowed by a child. It has a tarry texture and a black-green color.
In the first 10 days, a child’s own microflora is formed, and his body gets used to mother’s milk. During this period, the stool has a greenish tint, and its consistency is similar to porridge. There is also an acidic smell of feces in infants on HB.
Then every day the feces of the child become more and more mature. It becomes yellow in color, with a uniform consistency. Insignificant inclusions of mucus or white flakes may be observed, but do not worry, this is just undigested breast milk. In density, it resembles sour cream. The smell of such feces has a mild, similar to kefir, cottage cheese or sour milk.
The feces of a baby who is breast-fed may change. It depends on the diet of the mother. If your child is not worried and is steadily gaining weight, then there is no reason for concern.
Feces during artificial feeding
When a child is fed with mixtures, his feces immediately after leaving meconium will be more formalized. It will have a dense uniform consistency, dark yellow or brown. The smell of feces will be typical, but not so sharp. Children at this age can defecate 1 to 3 times a day.
The acidic smell of feces in infants on IV can appear after the introduction of complementary foods. In addition to the smell, in the consistency of the stool you can notice undigested pieces of food, usually vegetables or fruits. If the child is not allergic to complementary foods, he is not worried about bloating or pain in his stomach, then do not remove the complementary foods from the diet. Soon, your baby’s body will get used to solid food.
Possible causes of deviations
The acidic, harsh, putrid, marsh, fetid smell of feces can indicate possible violations of the child’s health. It can also smell like rotten eggs. At the same time, its consistency will be either too liquid or too hard, and the color will be green, gray or black.
Possible causes of the acidic smell of feces in an infant may be:
- Imbalance in nutrition. The stool will be fluid, frothy, with a pungent sour smell. Perhaps the baby gets a lot of front milk with a high sugar content. To correct the situation, you need to either hold the baby longer on one breast (15-20 minutes), or express the first milk.
- Constipation. Often appear in children on artificial feeding. There is a rare defecation (less than once a day), pain in this process, a solid consistency of feces with the smell of rotten eggs. To help the baby, use a fermented milk mixture or laxatives prescribed by a pediatrician.
- Allergy. The stool will be frequent, green in color, with a fetid odor, watery consistency, mucus or blood impurities are possible. It can occur both with HS and with IV. In the case of hepatitis B, the mother needs to review her diet and remove foods from it that could cause the child to have an allergy. With IV, replace the mixture with a hypoallergenic one.
- Dysbacteriosis There is an acidic smell of feces in infants, rapid bowel movements, loose, green stools with foam, mucus or blood. In this case, the baby often has flatulence and poor weight gain. After passing the tests, a course of probiotics can be prescribed. HB helps in this case, accelerating the growth of beneficial bacteria in the intestines of the child. With IV, a treatment mixture with prebiotics and probiotics is prescribed.
- Lactase deficiency. The very acidic smell of feces in infants indicates an insufficient amount of the enzyme responsible for the digestion of lactose, that is, milk sugar. The bowel movement is mixed with the discharge of gases, as there is increased gas formation. The chair acquires a green color and a watery, foamy consistency. In such a situation, mother is advised to reduce the intake of whole milk, and she is also prescribed an enzyme. Artists are prescribed a low-lactose mixture.
- Infections The stool has a sharp smell of rot, it becomes liquid, frequent and acquires an uncharacteristic color. All this is accompanied by pain in the epigastric region, vomiting and hyperthermia. The most common cause is rotavirus infection. In this case, you must call a doctor. Before his arrival, give the child a plentiful drink. Oral rehydration solutions or breast milk are well suited.
Forecast
What will be the forecast about the health status of your baby - depends on the reason that caused such changes in the nature of the stool of the child. Many diseases are easily treatable and do not require a radical change in lifestyle. Getting rid of the causes and symptoms can last from several days to several weeks. It is enough to strictly adhere to all the recommendations that the pediatrician gave you.
However, there are such diseases, the detection of which fundamentally changes the life of the baby. For example, irritable bowel syndrome or Crohn's disease requires lifelong diet and drug therapy.
In any case, it is better to consult a doctor if you find an acidic smell of feces in the baby or other manifestations of an abnormal development.
Prevention
As you know, the disease is better to prevent than to cure. Some restrictions associated with the diet of both the mother and the child will help to avoid unpleasant consequences and maintain the health of the baby. For example, if changes in the nature of the stool are caused by the intake of certain foods, then in this case a special diet is developed to exclude them. These restrictions can be made for a while, and can become lifelong, it all depends on the severity of the condition. In any case, the prescribed diet will help reduce pain, remove bloating and normalize stool.
It is also important to follow the rules of proper cooking to avoid infection. First of all, this concerns the nutrition of a woman who is breast-feeding a baby.