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The child's stool is streaked with blood. Blood in a child's stool

The appearance of blood in a child’s stool cannot be ignored, as this can be due to completely different reasons. Such manifestations always cause concern among parents, and for good reason: blood in a child’s stool can be associated with serious disorders in the body. Timely diagnosis and treatment are necessary. Very often, minor bleeding does not in any way affect the general condition of the baby, but this symptom is a reason to contact a specialist. An accurate diagnosis can only be made using modern diagnostic methods. Based on research data, the attending physician will be able to choose the right treatment.

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Types of rectal bleeding

Blood in a child's stool can come from two main sources: the upper part of the digestive system, which includes the stomach and small intestine, and the lower part, which includes the rectum, colon and anus.

In the first case, children experience the passage of black stool. This is due to the conversion of iron, which is part of hemoglobin, into hematin, which occurs under the influence of hydrochloric acid produced by the stomach.

In case of bleeding from the lower digestive tract, stool mixed with fresh blood is observed.

Some foods and medications can turn stool black. The list of such substances includes:

activated carbon;
iron supplements;
black currant, blueberry;
chocolate;
beet;
flavored red gelatin;
drinks and medications containing dyes;
various dark colored foods.

When consuming the above products, suspicions of internal bleeding turn out to be false.

Causes of blood in a child’s stool

Among the many reasons why blood is found in children's stool, there are the main, most common, and those that are much less common.

Main reasons

The most common cause of blood in the stool is a fissure in the anus. Rupture of the mucous membrane in the anus occurs with prolonged constipation as a result of excessive force during bowel movements. In this case, the child experiences hard stools. With this pathology, a relatively small amount of blood is released. Anal fissures can occur in children starting in infancy. Most of them have a history of constipation.

For the same reason, children may develop hemorrhoids, which are characterized by dilation of the veins in the rectum and anus. This process leads to the formation of hemorrhoids. The formations may bleed and fall out of the anus.

The second common cause of blood in the stool is an allergic reaction to soy and cow's milk proteins. A child may also develop an allergy after consuming goat's milk. This disease is most often diagnosed in children under 1 year of age. Its second name is protein-induced proctocolitis. The pathology develops as a result of sensitization of the child’s body to milk protein and soy. Most often it is diagnosed in artificially born children.

An allergic reaction in babies of 3 or 4 months can also appear while breastfeeding, especially if the mother eats whole milk and soy products. The symptoms of the disease are quite pronounced and are characterized by the child’s vomiting, diarrhea and blood in the stool. The way out of a problematic situation for mother and child is a diet with the mandatory exclusion of allergens from the diet. Conventional formulas for children are replaced with hypoallergenic ones.

The appearance of blood in the stool is caused by helminthiasis. This happens much less frequently than in the first two cases, since not all worms can gnaw through the intestinal walls. Some round, annelid and flatworms have this ability. Bleeding is most often observed in the later stages of the disease.

Less common causes

Intestinal inflammation is another problem that causes blood in the stool in children. Among the most common diseases accompanied by inflammation of the intestines with damage to the gastrointestinal mucosa are ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. In addition to bloody discharge from the anus, the following symptoms indicate these pathologies: bowel dysfunction, weight loss, poor appetite. In infants, inflammation processes can develop as a result of a lack of enzymes in the body.

Infectious diarrhea is one of the provocateurs of the release of feces with bloody streaks. Among the causes of this pathology are the presence of bacterial and viral infections in the body. Infection of a child can occur through drinking contaminated water or food or after a course of antibiotic therapy. Typical signs of infectious diarrhea are: blood in the stool, abdominal pain, fever.

The cause of asymptomatic bleeding from the anus is juvenile polyps. They are non-cancerous tumors that develop in children aged 2 to 7 years. The location of the growths is the mucous membrane of the large intestine. Juvenile polyps are removed surgically.

The appearance of blood in the stool can be caused by more serious diseases, such as intussusception - one of the variants of intestinal obstruction, Hirschsprung's disease - a congenital pathology characterized by expansion of the large intestine. The disease in most cases occurs suddenly. It can begin in a child who has outgrown infancy, at 3 years old, or later. With intestinal obstruction, stool has a liquid consistency, and manifestations are accompanied by vomiting and severe pain.

Mucus with blood in stool

The presence of small inclusions of mucus in the stool of an infant, transparent or greenish in color, only speaks of changes in the baby’s body. An alarming symptom is the presence of copious mucus in the stool, especially if it turns green or brown.

The presence of intestinal infections is indicated by an unpleasant specific odor from stool, the presence of blood, and a foamy type of stool. Most often, the cause of the pathology is staphylococcal, enterovirus infection and escherichiosis. Manifestations of diarrhea are accompanied by the release of mucus with blood, vomiting, and increased body temperature. All these signs indicate intoxication of the body, in which the entire intestinal mucosa is affected.

Hidden blood in stool

Hidden blood in the stool is a sign of gastrointestinal diseases, which require special examination. The causes of this pathology may be:

Bleeding from the veins of the esophagus with varicose veins. It is one of the manifestations of portal hypertension that occurs in hepatic cirrhosis. Additional signs: black stools, pain in the chest area after eating, vomiting blood, rapid heart rate, increased secretory activity of the sweat glands, low blood pressure, dilation of capillaries in the abdomen, bitterness in the mouth.
Mallory-Weiss syndrome. It manifests itself as a bleeding defect in the mucous membrane of the cardiac gastric region or esophagus. The cause of the pathology is repeated vomiting due to a perforated gastric ulcer. Signs include black blood in the stool and severe pain.
Bleeding from a duodenal or stomach ulcer. The main manifestations are liquid blood in tar-black stool, constant nausea, vomiting with blood, falling into an unconscious state, accompanied by chills. The problem is eliminated through surgery.
Stomach or intestinal cancer. In the first case, the main symptoms are: aversion to food, iron deficiency anemia, sudden weight loss, tissue breakdown, bleeding. In the second - a stool disorder, characterized by alternating diarrhea with constipation, intestinal obstruction, accompanied by a false urge to defecate.

Hidden blood in a child’s stool may appear against the background of intestinal tuberculosis or when tumors of the esophagus occur.

Diagnosis of rectal bleeding

The cause of bloody stool can be determined using a rectal digital examination. The child's complaints matter. Young patients are prescribed blood, urine and stool tests, and are examined using instrumental methods:

colonoscopy;
Ultrasound of the abdominal organs;
x-ray examination;
sigmoidoscopy;
stool test for lactose intolerance - undigested lactose is often the cause of colic, blood in the stool and bloating in a child.

When making a diagnosis, it becomes necessary to obtain opinions from several specialists:

The presence of bacterial and viral infections in the body, which cause bloody stool, can be determined using a dysbacteriosis test.

Treatment

The treatment method depends on the severity of the manifestations and the cause of bleeding. The therapeutic regimen is developed individually for each child:

Problem	Treatment
Allergy to milk	The problem is solved by replacing milk formulas with hypoallergenic ones, and if there is no result, by switching to hydrolysates. The selection of baby food in this situation is carried out by the attending physician
Intestinal infections	They are treated with symptomatic drugs: hemostatic drugs, enzymes, detoxification agents and antibiotics with a preliminary determination of the sensitivity of the pathogen to them. Children with infectious diseases are subject to hospitalization
Hemorrhoids, fissures in the anus	Treatment of hemorrhoids involves the use of ointments, suppositories, hemostatic drugs and means to strengthen the vascular walls. The problem is solved surgically in rare cases. Cracks in the anus are eliminated using anal suppositories, which have an anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effect. In both cases, nutritional correction is provided, with the inclusion in the diet of vegetables and fruits rich in fiber and fermented milk products containing bifidobacteria
Neoplasms	Removal of polyps is carried out either through a colonoscope or through surgery. Tissues must be examined to determine the nature of the formation of neoplasms. Cancerous tumors are treated with chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Sometimes the operation may need to be repeated
Ulcerative colitis	Children who develop colitis are registered with a dispensary for life. The disease is treated in two ways: medication and surgery. Conservative therapy involves the use of corticosteroids and aminosalicylic acids. With their help, it is possible to ensure that one’s own antibodies do not react to the rectal mucosa by reducing local immunity. If an exacerbation occurs quickly, an operation is performed to remove part of the intestine with the source of inflammation. Sometimes surgery is life-saving
Infectious diarrhea	Requires complex drug treatment, the purpose of which is to restore water balance, remove toxins from the body, eliminate infection, reduce peristalsis and prevent the development of dysbiosis. For infectious diarrhea, children are prescribed a special diet, provided with plenty of fluids and prescribed the following medications: electrolytes (Regidron), sorbents (activated carbon, Enterosgel), probiotics (Linex, Acipol), atnimicrobial drugs (Phthalazol, Nifuroxazide)
Blood in the stool with gastric and duodenal ulcers, Mallory-Weiss syndrome, bleeding from the esophageal veins, intestinal obstruction, Hirschsprung's disease	All diseases are treated through surgery and symptomatic therapy aimed at eliminating the consequences

Sometimes, for gastrointestinal diseases, children are prescribed hormones.

In addition to drug treatment, if blood appears in the child’s stool, nutritional correction is required. It is assumed that there is a complete exclusion of foods that can cause fermentation in the stomach. It is forbidden to eat fatty, fried, spicy foods, smoked foods and chocolate. The list of permitted products is usually given to parents by the attending physician.

Folk recipes

Some diseases can be treated using traditional methods. Here are some proven recipes:

Baths with chamomile infusion. Used to treat hemorrhoidal manifestations. Prepare as follows: 4 tbsp. l. dried grass must be poured with a liter of boiling water and left until it cools completely. Then pour the broth into a bowl of warm water and sit in it. The duration of the procedure is 30 minutes. It is recommended to do it every day until complete recovery.
Sea buckthorn oil compress for hemorrhoids. This remedy has a hemostatic and softening effect. The oil is applied to a cotton swab and applied to the problem area overnight.
Onion infusion for the treatment of helminthiasis. To prepare, take a medium-sized onion, finely chop it, place it in a glass and fill it with boiled water until it covers. The medicine is left to infuse until the morning, after which it is filtered and drunk.
Hemostatic decoction. Cooking recipe: you need to take 2 tsp. dry nettles and pour a glass of boiling water over them. A similar effect can be achieved by cooking borscht from nettles.

Traditional recipes can be used only after receiving medical advice.

Prevention

Dr. Komarovsky pays great attention to the treatment and prevention of gastrointestinal diseases that provoke the appearance of blood in the stool. The pediatrician advises monitoring the babies’ diet and trying to minimize the intake of any medications. It is recommended that parents take note of this rule and adhere to it for a long time, regardless of the age of the children. Blood in the stool of children can appear both at 2 years and at 5 years. The causes of pathologies and symptoms may be identical.

For young mothers who are breastfeeding, the doctor recommends monitoring their diet.

Even seemingly insignificant changes in the baby’s condition frighten parents. Of particular concern is the presence of bloody stool in the child. This can be either a symptom of dangerous diseases or a minor consequence of poor nutrition. Why a child has blood in his stool and what diseases this may be a symptom of, we will consider in this article.

Sources of blood in stool

The presence of blood in the stool of a 2-year-old child does not always indicate the presence of a serious illness. But despite this, it is recommended to visit a doctor as soon as possible and undergo the necessary tests.

There are three options for the presence of feces with blood in a child.

This phenomenon is not pathological and does not pose a threat to the baby’s health.
Blood in the stool is a symptom of serious diseases that require immediate treatment.
“False” blood - a change in the color of stool is caused by foods or medications.

Experts identify two main sources of blood in the stool of children.

The first is the anus, large intestine, rectum. The blood will be bright red. There may be streaks of blood in the child's stool or mixing with the bulk of the stool.
The second is the small intestine and stomach. In this case, the baby’s feces can be dark, almost black. This coloring occurs due to the effect of stomach hydrochloric acid on blood hemoglobin. This is the most dangerous condition that requires prompt treatment.

Reasons

Various pathological factors can provoke the appearance of blood in the stool of a 2-year-old child. Let's look at the most common of them.

Rectal fissures. This is the most common cause of blood in the stool in children of this age. The child already has adequate adult nutrition, which can cause hard stools. This causes problems with bowel movements. With constipation, feces pass with difficulty, damaging the rectal mucosa. These microtraumas can cause the child to have small amounts of bloody stool. As a rule, cracks heal quickly when stool returns to normal. If constipation continues to bother the baby for a long time, this can lead to the development of hemorrhoids, in which during bowel movements you can see a significant amount of scarlet blood in the stool, as well as the appearance of hemorrhoids. When microdamage to the rectum appears, a child will feel pain during defecation, so at this moment he begins to cry or groan. Some children, for fear of pain, refuse to go to the potty. This should be one of the first symptoms for parents.

Allergic reaction. Basically, this cause of feces with blood in a child occurs in infancy. But there are situations in which food allergies provoke irritation of the intestinal mucosa even at an older age. In this situation, the baby also exhibits other symptoms that are worth paying attention to.

Nosebleeds. It happens that blood in the stool of a 2-year-old child appears due to ingestion of a small amount of it during nosebleeds.

A dangerous cause of blood in the stool can be intussusception (obstruction). Along with bleeding, the child complains of severe paroxysmal abdominal pain, loose stools with mucus, and frequent vomiting. This pathology occurs in most cases in children under 2 years of age. Requires immediate medical attention.

Formation of polyps in the large intestine. These are benign growths that can cause the presence of blood in the stool of a child 2-7 years old. This pathology is characterized by bloody stools, but without any accompanying noticeable symptoms.

Meckel's diverticulum. This is a disease in which protrusion of the walls of the large intestine occurs. In this case, gastrointestinal bleeding is observed, which occurs systematically. Severe anemia develops. This is a very dangerous disease that threatens the baby's life.

Colitis. Inflammation inside the colon caused by small ulcers that cause pain. The reasons for the occurrence of pathology are not precisely known. Genetics is believed to play a large role in this.

Very rarely, the cause of blood in the stool in children is malignant tumors and other equally dangerous diseases.

It happens that parents find brown or greenish stool with blood and mucus in their child. There is also an unpleasant odor and foamy appearance of the stool. This may be a sign of the presence of enterovirus, staphylococcus or other infections that can be dangerous for a small organism. Therefore, if symptoms appear, you should consult a doctor, since without proper treatment, intoxication of the body may develop.

Non-pathological causes

In addition to the above reasons, the coloring of stool in dark, blood-like shades can be caused by the child’s consumption of certain foods and medications. These include:

beet;
chocolate;
bird cherry;
blueberry;
tomatoes;
products containing food coloring;
black currant and others.

Medicines that can cause changes in the color of stool include:

iron-containing preparations;
activated carbon;
some types of antibiotics.

Dangerous symptoms

It happens that in addition to the appearance of blood in the stool, a 2-year-old child develops additional signs that can be used to judge the development of pathological conditions in him. Symptoms that, if detected, should immediately contact a medical facility include:

increased body temperature;
prolonged constipation;
prolonged headache;
the appearance of signs of an allergic reaction - for example, a rash;
detection of helminths in feces;
abdominal pain;
disturbance of consciousness;
abdominal cramps;
painful bowel movements;
detection of feces with mucus and blood in a child;
refusal to eat;
vomit;
rapid weight loss.

Diagnostics

If you notice any of the above signs, you should contact your pediatrician as soon as possible. He will decide to refer you to one of the highly specialized specialists - an infectious disease specialist, proctologist, gastroenterologist or allergist.

Typically, the examination begins with a rectal examination, with the help of which the doctor can determine the cause of the appearance of blood in the stool.

Laboratory tests are mandatory - general blood tests, urine tests, stool tests and coprogram (volumetric study of all stool indicators), analysis for dysbacteriosis.

Then instrumental diagnostic methods may be required. These include:

ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs or other necessary organs;
X-ray examination;
fibrogastroduodenoscopy - examination with a special device of the upper parts of the digestive tract and others.

hidden blood

If certain diseases are suspected, one of the main diagnostic methods will be an analysis for the presence of occult blood in the child’s stool. This condition is called sideropenia and does not manifest itself by external signs. To carry out the analysis, special sensitive substances are used, which, when oxidized, change their color.

A few days before the procedure, you need to follow a diet that excludes meat dishes, cucumbers, cabbage and some other foods. You should also stop taking medications as prescribed by your doctor. This is necessary so that hidden blood is not detected in a healthy baby. The stool must be placed in a sterile jar and delivered to the laboratory within three hours.

Reasons for the presence of occult blood

In most cases, this pathology in children occurs due to diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. These include:

Stomach or intestinal bleeding. Signs of anemia appear, as there is an almost constant loss of blood that is not visible to the naked eye. Nausea, severe weakness, and chills also begin to bother me. Vomiting of blood may occur, and the blood will be dark in color, similar to coffee grounds. Sometimes, as the disease develops, streaks of blood appear in the child’s stool. In advanced cases, if left untreated, black blood appears in the stool.
Malignant tumors in the stomach. Manifested by anemia, weight loss, refusal to eat, pain in the abdominal area.
Malignant tumors in the intestines. Concerns about intestinal obstruction, stool disorders, and more.
Tumors of the esophagus.
Stomach ulcer.

Treatment

In any case, therapy should be selected by a doctor. Self-medication can aggravate the course of the disease and cause serious complications. If you have obvious symptoms, you should immediately call an ambulance and do not take any action until they arrive. Do not give your child painkillers, give an enema, or use a heating pad. Ice is also not used for applying to the stomach. You are not allowed to drink or eat until the doctor arrives.

The treatment method will depend entirely on the cause of blood in the stool of a 2-year-old child.

It is worth noting that nutrition has a great influence on rapid recovery.

If you notice a one-time appearance of blood-streaked stool in a child, you should monitor his condition. If the baby behaves as usual, then, as a rule, there is no reason to worry. But it is still recommended to consult a pediatrician for advice.

Folk remedies for treatment

For the treatment of certain diseases in which blood appears in the stool, some folk recipes have proven themselves to be effective - using decoctions of chamomile, nettle and yarrow as lotions, as well as sea buckthorn oil. Such methods must be discussed with your doctor.

Complications

In the absence of adequate treatment, pathological conditions that cause the presence of blood in a child’s stool can provoke the development of serious complications that will threaten the health and life of the baby.

Scars in the anal area. This can occur with frequent occurrence of microtraumas of the rectum.
Development of infections. With constant damage to the skin and mucous membranes, pathogenic bacteria can enter the wounds, which can spread to the genitals, thereby worsening the situation.
Crohn's disease and colitis can cause intestinal obstruction.
Prolonged internal bleeding is life-threatening.

Prevention

Preventive measures in this case will include proper nutrition, rich in fiber and dairy products. Proper drinking regime is also very important. Nursing mothers should monitor their diet, avoiding the consumption of foods that can cause allergic reactions. To prevent infectious diseases, you need to ensure that the child washes his hands after a walk, does not lick his fingers and does not eat unwashed fruits and vegetables. Systematically inspect the anal area for damage and cracks. It is necessary to carefully monitor your child’s condition and, at the first suspicious symptoms, contact a medical facility for examination and undergo the necessary tests. After all, many diseases can be treated quite successfully if detected early. In some cases, delay can threaten the health and life of the baby.

Conclusion

If you find blood in your child’s stool, you should not ignore it. It is better to consult a doctor immediately, because symptoms of dangerous diseases may not appear immediately, but the pathological process will already develop in the child’s body. Particular attention should be paid to the situation in which blood in the stool is mixed with them - this is a clear sign of bleeding that occurs directly in the intestines and can have serious consequences. There is no need to take independent action, as improper treatment can worsen the situation. You need to call an ambulance immediately.

If streaks of blood appear in the stool on top of the stool itself and in small quantities, this is most likely a sign of cracks in the rectum. This condition does not pose a threat and can be treated very quickly and successfully. In any case, consultation with a doctor is necessary.

Children, especially infants, are very defenseless against all diseases, since they cannot accurately explain the symptoms and location of pain. Therefore, parents should closely monitor the health of their children, especially when their mood and appetite worsen. However, a symptom such as blood in a child’s stool can occur for completely different reasons. You should know what triggers it, as in most cases it can be a sign of a serious illness.

Breasts are defenseless against all diseases

Causes of bloody stool in a child

Such a “discovery” may frighten parents, but you must understand that for you the baby’s body is a complex mechanism, and only a doctor can accurately diagnose the disease. Therefore, do not rush to solve the problem yourself, because rectal bleeding differs in types:

from the upper digestive tract (stomach and small intestine);
from the lower digestive tract (colon, rectum, anus).

In the upper sections, the stool turns black and tarry, which is also called “melena.” Bleeding from the lower sections is indicated by blood streaks in the stool.

Foods that cause red stool

Parents should also be aware that some foods tend to turn stool red or almost black, so if the child consumed the following things the day before:

beet;
chocolate;
preparations that contain iron;
products with food coloring;

Chocolate can cause red stool

watermelons;
black currant;
blueberry;
activated carbon, antibiotics;
gelatin, then perhaps it’s too early to sound the alarm.

Causes of blood during bowel movements in a child

Considering the sources of bleeding, one cannot help but mention the most common causes:

An anal fissure is a real nightmare for children (and parents too), who often suffer from intestinal obstruction and constipation. Rupture of the mucous membrane is usually provoked by a poorly balanced diet, and children of any age, from infants to students, can suffer from cracks. If the blood in the stool is fresh and red, then the problem is most likely an anal fissure.
Infants may be allergic to cow's milk or soy protein. Most often, this problem plagues children who are bottle-fed, but sometimes a nursing mother also consumes the above products. The allergy goes away on its own by the age of one year, but if the symptoms continue to bother you, it is recommended to switch the “artificial” food to a different diet. Mothers during lactation should avoid consuming dairy products and soy.
Scarlet blood during bowel movements in a child may indicate the presence of hemorrhoids. Very often this disease is combined with anal fissures and plagues children suffering from constipation.

Crohn's disease can cause blood in stool

Unfortunately, not all problems are so harmless. Serious and uncommon causes of blood after a bowel movement in a child may include:

Crohn's disease;
infectious diarrhea;
polyps;
intestinal obstruction.

Therefore, if you notice these unpleasant symptoms, you should contact your pediatrician immediately.

Diagnosis of the disease

You must understand that without medical education you will not be able to help in any way, and may even harm the baby. Therefore, your best solution would be to go to the hospital:

Do not give your baby painkillers under any circumstances, since during the examination all the child’s readings and reactions will be blurred and inaccurate.
If there is bloody stool on the diaper, then you can show it to the doctor or simply describe the type of bloody discharge - this will make the diagnosis much faster.
Sometimes a disease can only be diagnosed through a visual examination. The doctor should have a clear description of the stool, down to the consistency, color and presence of blood streaks in it.
Be sure to describe the child’s condition during and after defecation, his sleep, temperature and behavior. If going to the hospital is not possible, then call a doctor at home.

Examination of a child by a doctor

If a digital rectal examination is inconclusive, the doctor may order other tests, including a blood test, stool culture and analysis, x-rays, colonoscopy, ultrasound, and others.

In most cases, the examination is carried out on an outpatient basis, but if the bleeding is heavy, the child may be admitted to the hospital. Do not interfere with the doctor's decision, as your baby's life may be at risk.

Treatment of bloody stools

Treatment depends entirely on the diagnosis:

If the disease was caused by an anal fissure or hemorrhoidal cones, then local treatment with suppositories with natural ingredients, lotions, baths and microenemas is used. During this treatment, all details about allergies are clarified, since the baby may have a negative reaction to some components. For example, sea buckthorn oil is often used to treat hemorrhoids.
In case of CM (allergy to cow's milk protein), the nutrition of the baby and mother is adjusted. If artificial feeding, then the baby should be switched to hypoallergenic formulas.
For intestinal infections, antibacterial therapy is carried out.
Juvenile polyps are most often removed, as there is a question about their malignancy. They can make it difficult to have bowel movements and, in general, are an alarm bell, so additional research cannot be done without.

Prevention measures

To prevent blood in your baby’s stool from being an unpleasant surprise for you, do not neglect examinations by your local doctor. Your care and observation will help prevent the disease in time, since the little man relies on his parents for everything.

Blood at the end of a bowel movement in a child may not be a cause for concern, especially if the day before he ate foods that could turn the stool a specific color. But in general, this symptom is very complex and vague. That is why you need to periodically have your stool tested, as there may be hidden blood, and this will indicate cancer of the stomach, esophagus, rectum and colon, as well as polyps.

If a child has bloody stool, what does this mean? An experienced pediatrician will help parents understand this problem. It is necessary to list the possible causes of this manifestation and find out when the baby needs urgent medical attention.

From the very birth of a child, his parents monitor his well-being very closely. After all, the baby does not yet know how to talk and, accordingly, is unlikely to be able to complain about feeling unwell. If something bothers him, he becomes whiny and loses his appetite. And if bloody stool is added to this, then parents are even able to succumb to panic from anxiety.
You shouldn’t be so scared right away; you should first try to explain the reasons for the development of such a symptom. Sometimes the color of your baby's stool is strange due to the foods on his menu.

The following substances and foods can change the color of stool:

carrots and beets;
medications, such as antibiotics, activated carbon;
iron supplements (if the baby takes them, then do not be alarmed if dark-colored stool occurs);
coloring ingredients present in drinks;
products that are dark green in color.

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If blood in a child’s stool is not related to food, then you should think about more serious reasons.

Associated diseases

Often, such a pathology is a sign of serious diseases associated with the gastrointestinal tract. If such a symptom occurs, it is considered very unfavorable. You may suspect that the child has developed damage to the membranes of the oral cavity or has diseases of the esophagus and intestines.

Most often, the presence of blood in excrement can be noticed at home. It is often detected during laboratory tests. If blood is visible to the naked eye, this gives doctors reason to suspect an inflammatory process in the intestinal area.

Blood enters the stool from the gastrointestinal tract. Most often it has a bright red color. You should be wary if it is noticeable on underwear or on the surface of toilet paper. This often indicates bleeding, which may be associated with hemorrhoids and cancer.

At the same time, do not forget that there are a large number of intestinal infections. Among them:

salmonella;
dysentery;
Crohn's disease.

The most common cause of brightly colored blood is constipation in a child. In this case, blood can be detected on top of the masses. This happens because the baby begins to tense his muscles too much. When a crack appears in the anal area, he experiences discomfort after defecation. With this pathology, bleeding is insignificant. However, it can be detected again after some time.

In order to prevent the formation of hemorrhoids, it is necessary to timely adjust the diet. The menu must include vegetables that have a laxative effect. On the recommendation of a doctor, you can use special suppositories.

When should you worry about your baby's condition? As a rule, if the bleeding is mild, it is not associated with serious illnesses. At the same time, it is impossible to independently determine the cause of its appearance. Therefore, if traces of blood are regularly visible on toilet paper or underwear, then you need to consult a doctor. It is possible that the child needs to undergo a full examination.

Rectal bleeding can be divided into two main types:

If the stool becomes black and resembles tar in appearance, then there are pathologies in the upper part of the digestive system. This color is due to the reaction of iron present in the blood with hydrochloric acid.
If there is bloody discharge from the lower part of the digestive system, then the blood is red.

There is no point in drawing conclusions about the causes of pathology based on the color of stool, since to find out the origin of the symptoms you must first undergo an examination.

The development of bleeding from the anus is not always associated with the appearance of a fissure, although this pathology is most often observed in children of different ages. Characteristic signs of anal disease are the following:

a child may suddenly cry during a bowel movement;
when trying to empty the intestines, the stomach becomes very tense;
sometimes the process of defecation is accompanied by groaning;
The stool is hard and there are traces of blood on its surface.

In infants, blood in the stool appears due to an allergy to proteins that are present in cow's milk. Often there is a reaction to soy. Most often, infants receiving artificial nutrition suffer from such signs of allergies.

At the same time, children who are breastfed are not immune from such pathologies. Unfortunately, dairy intolerance is not very uncommon today. Such a reaction of the body does not require specific treatment. By age 12, symptoms may disappear completely.

Signs of allergies and other pathologies

How does cow's milk allergy manifest? In addition to skin rashes, the disease is often accompanied by vomiting and loose stools. Traces of blood can be found in the stool. If characteristic symptoms of an allergic reaction appear, it is necessary to transfer the child to artificial feeding with special mixtures. If the baby is breastfed, then the mother will have to give up dairy products for about 14 days.

Other causes of intestinal bleeding are also less common. For example, children may be diagnosed with a serious illness such as Crohn's disease. With the development of this pathology, the child begins to noticeably lag in growth and gain weight poorly. A characteristic symptom of the disease is loose stools with blood and poor appetite.

Infectious diarrhea is often considered a side effect after antibiotic treatment. A typical sign is the presence of blood in the stool. In this case, the child may experience fever and pain in the abdominal area.

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Children between the ages of 2 and 8 years may suffer from juvenile polyps. They are benign or precancerous formations. Localized on the mucous membrane of the colon.

Any appearance of blood in the stool may indicate a serious illness. That is why, if such symptoms are present, the child should be seen immediately by a doctor. There are a huge number of pathologies that cause this phenomenon. If treatment is delayed, the consequences can be life-threatening. Even if the discharge is minor and goes away over time, this is not a reason to postpone a visit to the pediatrician.

Painful defecation with blood in some cases can indicate the development of serious diseases that require urgent diagnosis and treatment.

Reasons

The most common reasons:

Anal fissures.
Crohn's disease.
Infectious infection.
Juvenile polyps.
Worm infestation.
Hirschsprung's disease, etc.

If one of these pathologies is diagnosed, immediate treatment is required, the direction of which will be indicated by the attending physician.

Other reasons why stool may change color and turn dark shades include:

Eating certain foods, such as chocolate, beets, black currants, food gelatin, bird cherry, etc.
Taking certain medications that cause a nonspecific reaction in the body (most often these are antibiotics, medications with bismuth, activated carbon, etc.).

In such situations, the child’s health status should not cause concern to parents, but to be more confident that everything is in order, you should consult a specialist.

Should I panic and run to the doctor?

First, you need to remember what the child ate several hours before problems with bowel movements appeared; whether any medications were taken.

For example, bird cherry jam can cause severe constipation (or bird cherry berries that a child swallowed along with the seeds), while beets, on the contrary, in excess quantities cause loose stools and diarrhea. In both cases, the chair takes on an unusual color. These foods can cause painful symptoms and poor health if consumed in excess. Small portions of food do not cause such phenomena and only color the stool in an unusual color.

In order for the child to feel vigorous and healthy again, these foods should be temporarily excluded from the diet. In such situations, you should consult a doctor if the child’s complaints of pain during bowel movements are accompanied by other alarming symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, weakness, etc.

Associated symptoms

But it happens that in addition to blood in the stool, the child has:

The temperature rises.
There are complaints of severe headaches.
The skin turns red and a rash or hives may appear.
There is confusion.
Evacuation does not occur for several days.
Defecation is accompanied by sharp pain in the anus and abdominal cramps.
In addition to blood, helminths are found in the stool.

If at least a few of the above signs appear, the child’s condition requires an immediate visit to the doctor.

What diseases most often lead to the appearance of blood in the stool?

Anal fissures

Introducing a new product into the daily menu, changing the diet, consuming flour products, meat, chicken eggs, etc., which belong to the category of “heavy”, difficult-to-digest foods, can cause constipation in a child. Their appearance is also facilitated by a small amount of fluid entering the body daily. Dense stool forms in the intestines, the movement of which is difficult. Evacuation may occur less frequently than usual (once every few days) and may be accompanied by severe pain.

While the feces are in the intestines, the process of absorption of substances through its walls continues, and the feces become even more dense and not plastic. During bowel movements, the child strains strongly, small cracks and wounds appear on the intestinal mucosa and anus, and blood, along with a lump of feces, comes out. Painful bowel movements do not go away without leaving a trace. If the urge to go to the toilet arises again, cracks in the anal area that have not had time to heal make themselves known with cutting pain. The child develops a fear of going to the toilet.

Crohn's disease

Stools in which threads of bright scarlet blood are found indicate pathologies in the lower intestine: colon, rectum, and anus.

Dark-colored feces indicate the formation of granulomas and longitudinal ulcers in the small intestine and stomach. Crohn's disease can affect any part of the digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus. A focus of inflammation that forms in the small intestine or at the junction of the small intestine with the large intestine bleeds, and the blood reacts with enzymes of the gastrointestinal tract, turning into hydrochloric acid hematin (dark clots). Therefore, feces also turn dark.

Infectious infection

Pathogenic bacteria and viruses, entering the intestines, suppress the activity of beneficial microflora and cause rapidly developing inflammatory processes in the mucous membrane. The disease is accompanied by high fever during exacerbation, dysbacteriosis, diarrhea or constipation, and general weakness.

If a child suffers from diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, there is a risk of dehydration. The mucous membranes become dry, the skin becomes hot. Treatment can only be prescribed by a doctor. An admixture of blood in the stool may indicate a complicated form of the disease, which requires immediate examination and clarification of the exact cause of the pathology.

Juvenile polyps

A healthy intestinal mucosa is smooth and moist. Goblet cells form healthy epithelium, which does not create obstacles to the movement of feces. Juvenile polyps are benign formations consisting of connective tissue that quickly grows in the epithelial layer. In appearance, they look like semicircular elevations, attached to the epithelial layer with a wide base or stalk. By themselves they do not cause pain. It can only be detected with a special examination.

But when feces move through the area where the polyps are located, solid fecal particles scratch the bulges on the mucous membrane, which begin to bleed. The surface of the intestine in areas affected by juvenile polyps is similar to cobblestones, and despite muscle contractions, feces get stuck in a difficult area. The last liquid from it is absorbed by the intestinal walls, and the dense contents turn into a solid lump. The situation is even more complicated.

Worm infestation

In advanced stages of the disease, the situation becomes more complicated, causing general intoxication of the body and severe bleeding.

Hirschsprung's disease

This is a very serious disease that can progress rapidly over time and cause intestinal obstruction. There is no innervation in a certain area of the intestine, that is, in this segment it ceases to perform its function. Peristalsis is completely absent, and feces accumulate in the “dead” zone, causing gradual stretching of the intestinal walls. The disease can be inherited. If you do not start timely treatment, in 80% of cases the situation ends in death.

Treatment - what doctors prescribe

Experts prescribe treatment depending on the cause of the disease.

An allergic reaction to components contained in infant formula can lead to the appearance of blood clots in the baby's stool. Artificial formula often contains soy protein. This is what causes the pathology. Stool accompanied by bleeding can also cause breast milk in the baby if the mother consumes products containing soy protein (some mothers themselves enjoy feasting on infant formula).

A child’s body, which does not produce enough enzymes, cannot break down soy protein into nutritional components. As a result, there are signs of individual food intolerance, diarrhea, constipation, bleeding, etc.

All of the above diseases can also cause blood in the stool of an infant.

What is occult blood in a child's stool?

This phenomenon is called - sideropenia. It does not manifest itself through external signs, since the bleeding is mild, but continues constantly. Thus, unnoticed by himself, the child loses a large amount of blood. If it is stomach bleeding, the baby may vomit dark contents that resemble coffee grounds. This is blood that has coagulated under the influence of hydrochloric acid.

Intestinal or stomach bleeding manifests itself through signs of anemia: the skin turns pale, the child gets tired quickly, the level of hemoglobin in the blood drops, and a state of general weakness does not allow the child to engage in active games. An immediate examination of the body is required, which will include FGDS, coprogram, palpation, sigmoidoscopy, etc.

You cannot ignore such an alarming symptom as blood clots in a child’s stool and let the situation take its course. This sign may indicate minor damage to the tissues of the anus, but in some cases it is a formidable signal indicating a pathological condition that requires immediate intervention by medical specialists in the fate of the baby.