Normal stool for a 4 year old child. What to do if a child has constipation: proper treatment depending on age

Constipation in children- a common cause that causes significant discomfort in children and anxiety in parents. According to various sources, constipation is the reason for visiting a doctor in 3-5% of cases. Constipation is detected in 1-30% of children.

A short episode of constipation in children is common and usually lasts only a few days. The right diet and sufficient fluid volume - this, in most cases, is enough. However, some children develop chronic constipation (persistent and severe). Regularly soiled laundry (often mistaken for diarrhea) may mean your child has chronic constipation.

Normal stool frequency in children

The frequency of stool in children is not constant and varies over a fairly wide range. The following statements and norms are relatively generally accepted:

• The first bowel movement (meconium bowel movement) occurs within 36 hours of birth. In 90% of children, meconium is passed in the first 24 hours of birth.
• During the first week of life, the baby has an average of 4 bowel movements per day. This indicator is very variable and depends on the type of feeding: artificial or natural.
• Up to 2 years of age, the average number of bowel movements can vary from 3 times a day to 1 time every few days.
• After two years, the number of bowel movements is 1-2 times a day
• After 4 years – 1 time per day

Despite the average statistical indicators given, a breastfed baby may not have bowel movements for 7 or even 10 days, and this may be the norm. In formula-fed children, the variability in normal stool frequency is even greater.

Classification of constipation

It is advisable to divide constipation in children into two broad categories:

1. Mild and/or temporary constipation that lasts only a few days. This is a very common situation that can happen again from time to time.
2. Chronic (persistent and severe) constipation. It is much less common. Its treatment differs from the more common – mild, temporary constipation.

So what is constipation?

Constipation in children is called:

• Difficult defecation, or defecation that requires significant effort and/or
• Pain during bowel movements. and/or
• Bowel movements are less frequent than usual.

Note: there is a large range of normal frequency. One to three bowel movements per day is considered normal. Stool less often than once every two days can be constipation. However, this may still be normal if the child does not strain too much during bowel movements, does not experience pain, and has soft and well-formed stools.

The following criteria have been developed for the diagnosis of functional constipation (Rome III)

• Bowel movements less than twice a week
• An episode of stool incontinence after acquiring hygiene skills
• Previously observed episodes of severe stool retention
• Large stool volume

The diagnosis is made by observing at least 2 of the six listed criteria within a month.

Children aged 4 to 18 years

• Bowel movements less than twice a week
• Episodes of stool incontinence
• Episodes of volitional retention of stool
• Painful or difficult bowel movements
• Large stool volume
• Large diameter fecal bolus

Diagnosis is made by observation at least 2 out of six the listed criteria within two months.

What are the causes of constipation in children?

Food and drinks. Poor diet is a common cause of childhood constipation:

• Insufficient content of dietary fiber, fiber (the rough part of food that is not digested and remains in the intestines) and/or
• Insufficient fluid intake.

Stool becomes hard, dry, and difficult to pass stool when the intestines are low in fiber and fluid.

Consciously holding a chair: the child feels the urge to defecate, but resists. This is a common cause of functional constipation. You may notice this in your child by squeezing their legs together, sitting on their heels, or other similar actions that help suppress the feeling of bowel movement. Prolonged conscious retention of stool increases the volume of stool and, subsequently, makes it more difficult to pass. There are a number of reasons why children may struggle to hold stool:

• the previous bowel movement may have been difficult and painful. Therefore, the child tries to postpone defecation, afraid of experiencing pain and discomfort again. (anal fissure, perianal irritation, sexual abuse, hemorrhoids)
• unfamiliar or uncomfortable environments (for example, public restrooms). The child may "temporarily switch off" bowel movements until he returns home.
• emotional problems, depression.

Diseases leading to constipation in children

Quite a lot of diseases can lead to constipation: thyroid disease, as well as some intestinal disorders; one of the factors for constipation may be an allergy to cow's milk. If constipation is a symptom of a disease, then, as a rule, other symptoms are also present, because it is extremely unlikely that this will be the only manifestation of the disease. Some medications may cause constipation as a side effect. Anyway, If constipation is a chronic problem, you should consult your doctor.

How can you prevent constipation in a child?

Eating foods with a lot of fiber and plenty of water helps increase the volume of the stool, but at the same time the stool becomes soft and the intestines are easy to empty. Regular exercise also promotes normal bowel movements.

• Jacket potatoes with baked beans or vegetable soup with bread.
• Dried apricots or raisins for dessert.
• Porridge or other high-fiber grains for breakfast.
• Fruit with every meal.
• You may not want to let your child take candy until he or she has eaten the fruit.

If children do not want to eat foods high in dietary fiber, add dry bran to yogurt. Yogurt will soften the unpleasant taste of dry bran.

Beverages. Adequate fluid intake is important for normal bowel function. However, some children have the habit of drinking only juice, soda or milk to quench their thirst. They can satisfy their appetite with them and therefore eat little food containing a large amount of fiber. Try to limit these types of drinks. Give water as the main drink. However, some fruit juices that contain fructose or sorbitol have a laxative effect (eg prunes, pears, or apple juice). This may be useful from time to time when stools become heavier than usual and you suspect constipation may soon develop.

Some other tips that may help:

• Try to get your child used to going to the toilet at a specific time. After breakfast, before school or kindergarten is the best option. Try and allow enough time so that he doesn't feel rushed.
• Reward systems are sometimes helpful for young children who are susceptible to bowel retention. For example, a small treat after each successful trip to the toilet. However, try not to make a tragedy out of a toilet problem. The goal is for the situation to be normal and not cause tension - a matter of everyday life.

Mild/temporary constipation in children and its treatment.

Most episodes of constipation in children last only a few days. Many children strain to “squeeze out” a large or hard fecal lump. This does not really matter, the consistency of the stool will soon return to normal. Treatment for temporary constipation is the same as for preventing constipation. That is, diet with plenty of fiber, drinking plenty of fluids, and possibly fruit juice that contains fructose or sorbitol. In some cases, your doctor may recommend a laxative for a few days. During an episode of mild constipation, the functions of the lower intestine (rectum) are not affected. Therefore, you can stop laxative treatment as soon as stool becomes easy to pass again. Treatment usually takes several days.

Chronic (persistent and severe) form of constipation

Chronic constipation in children is defined as severe and prolonged defecation disturbance. It most often develops in children aged 2 to 4 years, but it occurs in both older and younger children. Symptoms and features of chronic constipation include:

• Repeated situations when the child experiences difficulties or problems with bowel movements.
• The child regularly soils his underwear with very soft stools or feces in the form of mucus. This is often regarded by parents as diarrhea.
• The child may become irritable, eat little, feel unwell, experience abdominal pain from time to time, and generally have a low mood.
• The doctor can often feel the terminal intestines filled with hard, lumpy feces when palpating the abdomen.

Next, we will try to explain how chronic constipation can develop and its symptoms. Specifically, why soiled laundry is a symptom of chronic constipation. Typically, stool accumulates in the lower part of the large intestine. If stool accumulates, it begins to pass into the rectum (the last part of the intestine), which dilates. This sends signals along the nerves to the brain saying “you need to go to the bathroom.” When relaxing the anus on the toilet, it takes a little effort to “squeeze out” the feces. But if the child ignores the signal and holds back, the feces remain in the rectum. Gradually, a large, dense fecal lump forms in the intestine. The rectum then dilates and becomes much larger than normal. This contributes to the formation of a fecal blockage, in which dense feces “get stuck” in the rectum. If the rectum remains overstretched for a long time, then the normal sensation of the urge to defecate is weakened. In addition, the muscle strength of the walls of the rectum decreases, it becomes “lazy”.

Additional portions of feces approach the fecal bolus located in the rectum. The lowest part of the stool lies just above the anus. Some of these "fresh" loads liquefy and flow out of the anus. This stains the baby's underwear and bedding. In addition, some of the soft stool, liquid stool from the overlying parts of the large intestine, can “bypass” around the fecal bolus. It also oozes from the anus and can be mistaken for diarrhea. The child has no way (!) to control this leakage and soiling of the laundry. If the stool blockage is eventually completely removed (via an enema), it quickly becomes filled with hard stool again due to the fact that the walls of the rectum are stretched and weakened.

What is the treatment for chronic constipation in children?

Eat a high fiber diet and drink plenty of fluids. This is described above, but, as a rule, in addition to this, the prescription of laxatives is required.

Laxatives

Laxatives are usually prescribed if a child develops chronic constipation. Their first goal is to empty the rectum and resolve fecal blockage. This can usually be done quickly enough with just an adequate dose of a strong laxative. Sometimes laxative suppositories or cleansing enemas are necessary to resolve the stool blockage. After you have had a bowel movement, it is important to continue taking laxatives as prescribed by your doctor. This may be necessary for several months, and sometimes even up to two years. When a child takes laxatives every day, the following happens:

• The child goes to the toilet more often and has regular bowel movements. As he goes to the toilet more often, the stool becomes smaller and softer. This will allow stool to pass more easily. The child will be freed from the fear of going to the toilet with a large, hard, painful lump.
• Overdistension of the rectum decreases, and it can gradually return to normal size, functions are restored properly.

Constipation is unlikely to reoccur. If laxatives are stopped prematurely, the fecal impaction is likely to reoccur in the weakened ampulla of the rectum, which has not had enough time to return to normal size and regain strength.

• Substances that increase the volume of feces. This is, for example, bran. They make the stool soft but voluminous.
• Stool softeners. These substances liquefy and soften stool. For example, docusate sodium (which also has a weak stimulating effect).
• Osmotic laxatives. For example, lactulose and polyethylene glycol. These substances retain fluid in the colon by osmosis (reduce the absorption of fluid into the blood from the lumen of the colon).
• Stimulant laxatives. For example, senna or sodium docusate. They act on the muscles in the intestinal wall and “squeeze” less than usual. Sena preparations are not recommended for use in children.

Your doctor will usually recommend using laxatives. However, it is quite common to need two laxatives at the same time over a period of several months if one drug does not produce the desired effect. For example, an osmotic laxative plus a stimulant. Over time, the dose is gradually reduced and the medicine is discontinued. It is important to continue treatment as long as your doctor advises. Chronic constipation often recurs if treatment is stopped too early.

Very often, young parents think about what a child’s stool should be like normally. Without accurate information, they treat children for mythical constipation and thereby only harm the fragile body.

The gallery below provides a description of the appearance of stool young child in normal condition and in various diseases.

Normal stool

Stool parameters, such as frequency of trips to the toilet, consistency and color, are closely related to the age of the child. To understand what is normal for your baby, use the table below.

information The normal color of stool is most often dark brown, but may vary depending on certain foods.

The important thing is that the stool should not contain blood, impurities and mucus, it should not be black (unless, of course, the baby has drunk activated charcoal before) and be viscous.

Loose stools in a child

Loose stool almost always accompanied by frequent trips to the toilet. The consistency of the feces is either watery, without chunks, or loose and soft, with fluffy parts. Diarrhea can be a symptom of a variety of gastrointestinal diseases. Its main reasons:

If you have bowel movements more than 3 times a day, you should immediately consult a doctor, as only he will be able to make the correct diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

advice If you have a high temperature, severe abdominal pain, signs of dehydration and vomiting, you should call an ambulance.

At the first appearance of loose stools, the following should be excluded from the child’s diet: fermented baked milk, yogurt, smoked foods, pickles and marinades, nuts, cereals with milk, meat, carbonated drinks.

Frequent stool is very dangerous due to severe dehydration, so a child with diarrhea must constantly replace lost fluid. It is best to use special solutions for this, which are sold in pharmacies. Homemade fluid replenishment solution recipe: Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt and 4-6 teaspoons of sugar in 1 liter of boiled water.

To prevent dehydration in this case Not Suitable: juices, teas, milk, broths, sweet soda, compotes.

Green chair

When a small child switches to a diet with complementary foods, he often develops green stools. And in this situation there is nothing particularly terrible. The problem is that very often green stools are a symptom of serious problems in the body.

It could be:

1. . The stool (usually liquid) has a very unpleasant putrid, sour smell.
2. . Even a trivial one can sometimes cause intestinal disorders, let alone more serious diseases.
3. Eating disorder. Excessive consumption of foods rich in iron.

advice The most important thing in this situation is to consult a doctor, only he will identify the true cause of green stool and help eliminate it.

Baby's stool with mucus

By secreting mucus, the child’s intestines are protected from acids and alkalis, so in small quantities and when they appear rarely, it is not dangerous. If mucus in the stool occurs frequently, and the child suffers from pain or diarrhea, or feels unwell, then you should consult a doctor. Stool with mucus, especially if it has a strong, unpleasant odor, can be a symptom of serious intestinal diseases. In some cases, mucus may be caused by medications.

If a child poops with blood, this indicates the presence of serious diseases. Below are the most common diseases that cause blood in the stool:

dangerous Thus, stool with blood is a sure sign that you need to urgently go to the doctor and under no circumstances self-medicate.

Black and light feces in a child

Black feces viscous consistency may be a sign of bleeding in different parts of the gastrointestinal tract, especially if there are:

• nausea, diarrhea;
• elevated temperature.

In this case, you cannot hesitate and you must call an ambulance.

If the child feels well, then the feces may turn black from an excess of fruits and berries in the diet.

Light feces It can also appear when there is a malnutrition or when serious illnesses occur. If the stool is poorly colored, also greasy and smells unpleasant, then digestive disorders are possible. In the case of clayey, light-colored stool, hepatitis or liver disease may be suspected.

information If a child has taken any medications and has white stools, it is possible that this is the effect of the medications.

Fecal incontinence in children

Fecal incontinence in children, or encopresis, can occur for a variety of reasons.

• Sometimes this problem appears after severe stress or hidden fear. Therefore, if there are no physiological diseases, then it is worth paying attention to the mental factors of this phenomenon.
• Another common cause of incontinence is the constant suppression of the urge to go to the toilet.. This leads to the fact that the rectum becomes overfilled with feces, which begins to be released involuntarily, in small portions. Again, the reasons for suppression are often related to inhibitions, fear and other mental factors.
• Encopresis can also be caused by birth injuries, intestinal infections, and problems in the development of the nervous system and colon.

In this case, it is necessary to consult a doctor (pediatrician and psychiatrist) as soon as possible. It is important not to aggravate the problem, since the child may withdraw into himself, and public defecation will only complicate the influence of mental factors on the development of the disease.

Constipation is a functional digestive disorder in which bowel movements are difficult, irregular, and accompanied by painful sensations. The concept of “regularity” in this case implies approximately equal periods of time between bowel movements. The prevailing opinion that this must happen once a day is considered outdated.

Normally, the frequency of bowel movements at different periods of a child’s life can vary from 3-5 times a day to 2-3 times a week. This depends on the maturity of his digestive system, metabolic rate, quality and quantity of food he eats, and many other factors.

Constipation can be identified by the following signs:

• absence of stool for 3 or more days;
• hard, dry stool;
• stool is too soft - in this case, after bowel movement there may be a feeling of incomplete emptying;
• the need to strain during bowel movements;
• a small amount of feces;
• heterogeneous stool containing both soft and hard fragments (lumps);
• painful sensations after bowel movement;
• a small amount of blood in the stool;
• the appearance of cracks in the anus.

The condition of constipation is usually accompanied by such sensations as (increased gas production), flatulence (frequent passage of gas), bloating and rumbling in the abdomen, cutting pain under the navel.

Note. In preschool children suffering from constipation, one can observe dry hyperkeratotic skin, the presence of inflammatory elements on the face (especially on the forehead and in the cheekbone area), chest, shoulders, back, and acne. Digestive dysfunction is also usually accompanied by a tendency to atopic dermatitis.

Classification

Based on the causes and nature of the course, constipation is divided into several types.

• Transient

Every person has experienced it at least once. This type of bowel movement disorder is a consequence of poor diet. So, in older children it can occur due to the abuse of products made from premium white flour, nuts, gas-increasing fruits and vegetables (grapes, melon, pear, plum, persimmon, cabbage, mushrooms), sweets, carbonated drinks, eggs , legumes.

Constipation is considered transient if it occurs rarely and the cause of its occurrence is beyond doubt. This malaise usually goes away on its own with normalization of the diet, or after minor medication correction.

• Functional (organic)

It occurs as a reaction to an existing disease in the body. The causes of functional constipation are very diverse: it can be either a congenital pathology of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), or an organic lesion of the central nervous system, one of the many temporary dysfunctions of the digestive organs, hypersecretion of hormones, lack of digestive enzymes, rickets, helminthiasis.

• Psychological

It can develop in a child who has experienced discomfort and pain during bowel movements at least once. The reason is often the pressure of parents who are fixated on daily bowel movements and force the baby to sit on the potty for a long time. Other stress factors can provoke the disease: a sudden change of place of residence, children's group, the period of adaptation to kindergarten, misunderstanding from peers.

With artificial feeding

Constipation in newborns with artificial feeding and in infants supplemented with formula is much more common than in babies who are fed exclusively with breast milk. Given the fact that infant formula is made from cow's milk, it cannot be completely absorbed. Therefore, bowel movements in such children should occur at least once a day, but ideally 2-3 times.

As in the case of infants, the main indicator of normal stool for an artificial baby is his well-being. If the baby is active and cheerful, does not show signs of anxiety, he passes gas regularly, but at the same time bowel movements occur only once a day - this is not beyond the norm.

Constipation in a one-month-old baby who is bottle-fed does not necessarily indicate the presence of serious illnesses. Perhaps the reason is an unsuitable milk formula or a sudden change in it. Functional digestive disorder can also be caused by a lack of drinking water - its daily amount depends on the child’s weight, age, time of year and is agreed with the pediatrician.

Do I need to change the mixture? If a newborn on artificial or mixed feeding has problems with defecation, the pediatrician may advise transferring him to a special therapeutic and preventive milk formula. These mixtures contain less protein than regular ones; they contain prebiotics - lactulose and oligosaccharides. A solution to the problem may be the introduction of fermented milk mixtures, which are digested faster due to partially fermented protein.

What to do if your child is constipated? A light massage of the abdomen with the palm of a warm hand in a clockwise direction, or a warm diaper folded in four and applied to the abdomen can help. As a preventive measure, the child should often be placed on his stomach - this is the most optimal position not only for wakefulness, but also for sleep.

If these measures are not effective enough, you need to do a cleansing enema or install a gas tube. These procedures should not be overused, since with frequent use they worsen intestinal motility. If a newborn has constipation that lasts more than 3-7 days, it should definitely be seen by a doctor.

6 months – 1 year

The period from six months to 12 months is characterized by the gradual introduction of complementary foods. Replenishment of the baby’s diet depends on the time of year in which complementary foods are introduced, and usually starts with boiled vegetables, fruit purees and juices. The appearance of constipation after the introduction of complementary foods is a natural phenomenon, since during this period the baby’s gastrointestinal tract is faced with food unfamiliar to him. There should be stool at least 1-2 times a day.

To help the digestive organs cope with the increased load, pediatricians recommend:

1. Introduce complementary foods very slowly - no more than one new ingredient per week. Seven days is a sufficient period to study the body’s reaction to unfamiliar food.
2. After the baby’s menu is replenished with several new products, alternate them at intervals of 1 time every 3-4 days - this will help diversify the diet and prevent the accumulation of possible allergens.
3. Starting complementary feeding with fermented milk products is permissible with the permission of the pediatrician and provided that the child’s gastrointestinal tract reacted to the introduction of vegetable complementary foods with constipation, colic, bloating, or an allergic reaction.
4. Exclude from complementary foods fermenting fruit juices and purees - apple, grape, plum, as well as corn porridge.
5. When introducing porridges, focus on buckwheat and oatmeal (if you don’t know which porridge is best to start complementary feeding with, read).

If, even after following all the doctor’s advice, the baby suffers from irregular and painful bowel movements, you should visit a gastroenterologist and take tests to determine the balance of the intestinal microflora, as well as undergo other recommended examinations.

1 year - 3 years

This period is characterized by a gradual abandonment of breast milk/formula and a complete transition to the “adult” diet. The gastrointestinal tract continues to adapt to new products, so constipation in a one-year-old child is a phenomenon that many parents complain about. The baby already eats almost all types of cereals, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, poultry, rabbit, beef.

It is already much easier to determine constipation - the child has communication skills, and sometimes speaks well. He may point to his tummy and butt, complain about pain, and be capricious.

At about 1-2 years of age, diaper cessation and potty training also occur. This is a difficult psychological moment, often causing protest in the baby. Therefore, at this age, a functional disorder of defecation can also be psychological in nature.

Treatment of constipation in children 1-3 years old, in addition to following the diet prescribed by the pediatrician and taking probiotics, also includes methods of pedagogical influence. It is strictly forbidden to force a child to sit on the potty, scream and punish if he did not have time to get to his potty and got dirty, and forbid him to get up from it until he is completely emptied. All toilet training methods should be gentle and contain more elements of encouragement than reprimand.

From 6 months to 4 years, the main baby teeth grow. When discomfort occurs in the gum area, it prevents you from chewing food thoroughly. This factor also contributes to unstable stools. Special anesthetic gels, which are applied to the gums and slightly freeze the nerve endings, help to ease the sensation. It is also recommended to give your baby plenty of solid foods to help teeth erupt faster.

3 years – 5 years

4 years is the average age at which many children adapt to kindergarten. Added to the psychological difficulties is the stress on the immune system - visiting a children's group is fraught with infectious viral diseases. Often it is during this period that the baby’s body first becomes acquainted with antibacterial drugs.

Antibiotics are medications that destroy harmful bacteria, reduce the likelihood of complications, and quickly improve your health. The main side effect of taking them is the death of not only the causative agent of the infectious disease, but also the beneficial intestinal microflora. The result is constipation, flatulence, abdominal pain, diarrhea.

To minimize the negative effect of taking antibacterial drugs, you must:

1. Follow your doctor's instructions exactly on the dosage and duration of taking the drug.
2. During the treatment period, more often give fermented milk products with live bacteria (preferably homemade yogurt).
3. After antibiotics, be sure to take a course of probiotics that restore the gastrointestinal microflora.

It is very difficult to identify worms using tests, so the treatment of constipation in a child of kindergarten age must include age-appropriate antihelminthic drugs. They are toxic, so they are taken according to a prescription and under periodic medical supervision.

Treatment

What to give your child for constipation? Treatment is prescribed in a comprehensive manner: the therapeutic course necessarily includes probiotics, drugs that improve peristalsis, and medications for helminths.

Medicines for the treatment of constipation in children

Drug treatment is used only if the child suffers from constant constipation that cannot be corrected with dietary nutrition.

Traditional methods

Plants that improve the digestion process can also help eliminate discomfort. These include medicinal herbs, fruits, vegetables, dried fruits:

1. Medicinal decoction No. 1. Make a mixture of equal portions of fennel, oregano and elderberry, add ½ portion of anise fruit to it. 1 tbsp. Steam a spoonful of the resulting mixture with a glass of boiling water, leave, and give the child 100 ml of water twice a day.
2. Medicinal decoction No. 2. Mix oregano bark, birch leaf, fennel flowers, tricolor violet and licorice in equal proportions. Art. Pour a spoonful of the mixture with water, bring to a boil, and keep on fire for 10 minutes. Give to the child chilled in as much as he is able to drink.
3. Hay grass. This laxative has been known for a long time. To get a pleasant-tasting medicine for constipation for children, you should take 200 grams of various dried fruits (prunes, raisins, dried apricots, figs), 100 grams of rose hips, 50 grams of hay, grind the mixture using a blender or meat grinder, add honey to it until obtain a soft consistency. A child over 1 year old can be given 1 teaspoon twice a day; after three years, the dosage can be increased. This mixture not only helps regulate the frequency of bowel movements, but also strengthens the immune system.
4. Mix freshly squeezed aloe juice with honey until a pleasant taste is obtained, give 1 teaspoon to children over three years old on an empty stomach.
5. Pour boiling water over dry dandelion roots at the rate of 1 tbsp. spoon of herb in a glass of boiling water, leave, give a teaspoon three times a day.

Important! All folk remedies are based on natural ingredients that have a high allergenicity index. It is also unacceptable to use prescriptions for children under 1 year of age without first consulting a doctor. If the child has a tendency to allergies and is under 1 year old, it is better to give him a regular medicine for constipation in children.

Nutrition for constipation

Products that should be avoided (strengthen), and vice versa should be consumed (weaken) for constipation in a child

In case of functional disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, it is important to adhere to the principles of a healthy diet. The diet of children over 1 year old should consist of 5-6 meals. You should not give them too large portions; you should teach them to chew each piece slowly.

At this age, it is unacceptable to let children try foods that are harmful even to adults - fried, smoked, salted, canned, fatty, seasoned with hot sauces.

The menu must include the following products for constipation:

• boiled vegetables (beets, broccoli, cauliflower, pumpkin, carrots) and dishes made from them;
• porridge based on eggs, eggs, oatmeal;
• prunes, dried apricots, figs;
• yogurt, kefir;
• natural juices with pulp;
• products made from rye flour with bran.

If you are prone to constipation, semolina and rice porridge, baked goods made from white flour, sweets, cocoa, and whole milk should be excluded from the children's menu. You can give cottage cheese, but not every day.

For normal bowel movements, it is necessary to ensure that the child drinks enough water. For bottle-fed children, water is introduced into the diet from birth, for breast-fed children - from 6 months, simultaneously with complementary foods. You should give as much water as the child wants, but not less than 500 ml per day.

Constipation in children is a condition that requires mandatory treatment and nutritional correction. If this is not done, chronic gastrointestinal diseases and intoxication of the body may develop. To normalize digestion, it is equally important to ensure that the child walks a lot in the fresh air and spends enough time in active games with peers. It is useful to enroll children over 3 years old in sports sections.

Light-colored feces in a child are not always the norm, although in infants this is usually associated with the consumption of formula and dairy products. However, with such a symptom, it is important to monitor the child’s condition: if the problem does not go away for several days, there is a fever, diarrhea, the baby feels unwell and weak, you should consult a pediatrician.

Features of feces in a child

As the child grows, both the color of the stool and its structure change. Thus, feces become more shaped due to the introduction of vitamins, fats, etc. into the diet. Food preferences also have an impact. For example, after eating beet puree, your stool and urine may turn pink. A similar thing happens when consuming other products that have a coloring pigment.

The color of the stool depends entirely on the amount of bilirubin, an enzyme responsible for the functioning of the liver. If the organ produces this component in normal quantities, the color of the stool will be light brown, but if the liver is malfunctioning, the color of the discharge may become lighter. In addition, the more dairy products a person consumes, the lighter the stool.

The task of pediatricians is to take a responsible attitude towards any changes in the child’s stool and urine, since they may indicate the presence of a disease.

Predisposing factors

Light-colored stool can occur in children of all ages. The main reasons include his eating habits. If we talk about infants and children under two years of age, then this color of stool can occur when they consume fermented milk products or too fatty foods. In this case, the structure of the stool itself will be oily. This is due to the fact that the digestive system cannot yet cope with such heavy food.

The mother’s diet, the intake of certain medications and vitamins, and the presence of diseases affect the baby’s stool.

But there are other reasons:

1. Teething.
2. Introduction of new dishes to the diet.
3. Eating foods high in calcium.

Having discovered light-colored excrement, it is necessary to assess the child’s condition - if he does not feel very well, he should definitely consult a doctor.

Symptoms of pathological processes

In 80% of cases, this happens when the diet changes - the light shade of stool will last for several days, then return to normal.

In other cases, the problem may be caused by a pathological process. In this case, the child’s condition worsens, and the baby may experience anxiety. If the following symptoms appear, you should definitely consult a doctor:

• cloudy or dark urine;
• diarrhea;
• severe abdominal pain;
• elevated temperature;
• thirst;
• general malaise.

Such signs are not the norm. If you have diarrhea or vomiting, you should immediately call an ambulance.

Possible diseases with light-colored stool

The pathologies listed below can cause lightening of stool.

Dysbacteriosis

With dysbacteriosis, greenish streaks are present in the stool. If dysbacteriosis is advanced, the stool foams and an unpleasant odor appears. The child may suffer from colic, the stomach becomes tense. Sometimes a rash appears on the stomach or face.

Hepatitis

It is a serious disease that affects the liver and can cause serious complications. A characteristic feature of hepatitis is a combination of light-colored feces and dark urine. A doctor cannot diagnose this disease without laboratory tests.

Pancreatitis

This disease usually occurs in adults, but is often diagnosed in children. In this case, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, and fever appear.

Bend of the gallbladder

The bend can hardly be called a pathology, since it is an anatomical feature of the body. Typically, this condition does not affect the child’s health in any way, and the stool becomes lighter due to difficulties with the removal of bile and coloring pigments.

Gastrointestinal diseases

The cause of pathologies in children under one year of age can be congenital problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Diseases can also develop as the baby grows older under the influence of various factors.

Rotavirus infection

It is characterized by severe symptoms: health deteriorates, body temperature rises, and diarrhea bothers you. In the first day after the disease, stool may be pale yellow, then it becomes completely white.

Whipple syndrome

A rare autoimmune disease. When it occurs, the lymph nodes become enlarged and iron deficiency anemia develops. The number of bowel movements per day can increase up to 10 times.

Allergy

In this case, it is necessary to pay attention to additional symptoms: itching, redness of the skin, sneezing, rash.

With timely treatment, such symptoms can be eliminated in 3-5 days, but only if the parents detect the symptoms in time.

What to do if you find yellow stool in your baby

Normally, a child’s stool has a yellowish tint and a mushy consistency. However, when eating a number of foods (pumpkin, carrots, even beef), the stool can turn bright yellow. If the mass is closer to orange in hue, this may indicate a serious illness and dysfunction of the internal organs, especially the pancreas, for example, with problems with the excretion of bile.

If the color of stool does not return to normal within 3-5 days, you should consult a doctor, and if accompanied by vomiting or nausea, call an ambulance immediately.

Diagnosis and treatment

It is impossible to ignore the current condition of the baby, since a change in the color of stool may indicate a serious pathology and it does not matter at what age this occurs: at one year, two or four. Only by consulting a doctor can you determine what pathology led to such a change in the color of stool. To identify the problem, they may prescribe:

• radiography;
• blood analysis;
• examination of stool and urine;
• endoscopy.

Treatment depends on the cause of the change in stool color:

1. Pancreatitis. In this case, treatment will be carried out in a hospital. Therapy is aimed at relieving symptoms and eliminating the cause. If the disease occurs in a child over two years old, he will need to “fast” for 24 hours, since during this period the contents of the stomach are suctioned. After the condition has stabilized, it is necessary to transfer the baby to a diet consisting of boiled or stewed dishes.
2. Infants under 1 year of age should be given special medicinal mixtures.
3. For hepatitis, treatment will also be carried out in a hospital: taking vitamins, drug treatment. Therapy is aimed at restoring liver function.
4. If you have Whipple's disease, you need to follow a special diet No. 5 (with a minimum amount of fatty foods), take vitamins and medications. Moreover, therapy can last for a year.
5. Treatment of rotavirus infection is carried out with the use of medications and diet. If you have vomiting and nausea, you should use Regidron.

Since light-colored stool can be a sign of serious illness, it is very important to consult a doctor promptly.

If the lightening of stool is episodic, and the child’s condition does not suffer at all, then nutritional factors are a common cause. If light-colored feces occur against the background of fever, general malaise that lasts for several days, or vomiting, then we can talk about a pathological aspect. In any case, to clarify the disease, it is necessary to conduct a differential diagnosis and exclude any harmless factors that provoke lightening of the stool. Panic in this case will not bring any benefit, but all parents need to know about possible pathological processes accompanied by lightening of stool.

Features of baby feces

If the liver produces bilirubin in normal quantities, then the color of the stool will be brown, light brown. In case of liver dysfunction, one of the symptoms is the color of the stool, but in addition to the lightening of the stool, the child’s urine should be examined. With pathological dysfunctions of the liver structures, the patient’s urine turns dark, cloudy.

Basically, the color of baby stool depends on nutritional factors. The more dairy products in your diet, the lighter the stool will be. In newborns, the entire diet is based on the consumption of infant formula or breast milk. With artificial feeding, the baby's stool will always be denser than with natural feeding. The task of pediatricians and parents is to be attentive to any changes in the child’s behavior and to conduct monthly monitoring of health indicators (stool, blood, urine tests, weighing and examination).

Predisposing factors

If light-colored stool is detected in a child, you should evaluate his general condition, examine his urine, and think about his daily diet. Perhaps the menu chosen by the parents is simply not suitable for the child. If your child's light-colored stool has become the norm, you should contact your pediatrician to select the optimal diet. If necessary, the child should be examined by other specialists in the field.

Signs of pathological processes

In almost 80% of all cases, the reason for the lightening of the child’s stool is a change in diet or its incorrect composition. This type of feces lasts for several days, after which it regains its normal color. The remaining 10% of children have a burdened clinical history, some complications from the functioning of internal organs or systems. Here they pay attention to all the nuances of changes not only in the child’s condition, but also in his bowel movements. If, against the background of light-colored stools, the child experiences obvious suffering, and the following symptoms are added to everything, then this requires immediate clarification and correction:

• cloudiness and darkening of urine (dark urine with light stool indicates viral hepatitis);
• stool liquefaction, diarrhea (the number of urges tends to be 10 or more);
• intense abdominal pain;
• high temperature, not brought down by anti-heat agents;
• malaise, muscle weakness;
• strong feeling of thirst;
• emotional instability (mobility along with indifference).

All these signs are not normal. You should consult a doctor or call an ambulance. Emergency assistance is especially needed for vomiting and diarrhea in young children. Children have a very difficult time dealing with dehydration. It is enough to lose only 25% of the total norm and restoration of the water-salt balance must already be done in intensive care conditions. To compare the diagnosis to find out why the child has light-colored stools, you need to take into account many different factors. The high mortality rate of children under 3 years of age from intestinal disorders is due precisely to complications of intoxication (dehydration, septic shock, vomiting and diarrhea).

Light-colored stool and disease

Attentive parents always notice the slightest deviations from the norm, any changes from the usual way of life. Unfortunately, more and more children are born with congenital developmental pathologies or have hereditary factors that determine their future health. It is the perinatal development of the child that largely determines the clinical history of the little patient in the future. In some cases, lightening of the stool can signal serious diseases of the child’s internal organs or systems.

Possible pathologies

The main possible ailments include the following:

• Development of dysbacteriosis. In addition to lightening, greenish streaks are present in the stool. With advanced dysbacteriosis, the stool foams and has a foul odor. The child often suffers from colic, and sometimes the stomach can feel very tense to the touch. A rash resembling hives may appear. The rash is localized on the child's stomach, butt or face.
• Hepatitis A, B, C. Hepatitis is a serious disease that affects liver tissue and leads to serious complications, including the development of liver failure. A characteristic feature of hepatitis is a combination of light-colored stools and very dark urine. Even a doctor cannot diagnose hepatitis on his own, only on the basis of laboratory and instrumental studies.
• Pancreatitis or inflammation of the pancreas. The disease is mainly registered in adult patients, but sometimes occurs in children. Light-colored feces are accompanied by frequent vomiting, nausea, pain in the abdominal area of ​​unknown localization, and high fever.
• Bend of the gallbladder. The bend is often an anatomical feature, an anomaly of formation. Over time, the child gets used to this form of the gallbladder; the condition does not cause any particular problems. Only systemic monitoring of a small patient is recommended. Clarification of stool here consists in the difficulty of separating the entire volume of coloring pigment, bile.
• Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The cause of the pathology, especially in newborns, can be congenital malformations of the epigastric organs, anomalies in the structure and size of the organs. Pathologies can also develop as the child grows under the influence of various endogenous or exogenous factors.
• Rotavirus infection. Rotaviruses are accompanied by a clear clinical picture with deterioration of health, increased body temperature, diarrhea and other signs. The first day after infection, the stool in children has a yellowish pale tint, but in subsequent days the stool will clearly resemble white clay.
• Whipple syndrome. A rare disease, often of an autoimmune nature. The pathology is characterized by enlarged lymph nodes and the development of persistent iron deficiency anemia. The number of acts of defecation per day can reach 8-10 times, while the consistency of the stool will be formed. The smell of feces is unpleasant, the color has a grayish tint. A child has light-colored stools, like clay, that occur precisely with this disease.

Other symptoms that characterize abnormal abnormalities should be considered. Thus, the appearance of blood impurities in a child’s stool may indicate both Whipple’s syndrome and advanced dysbacteriosis. Internal hidden bleeding is possible. Here you should take a stool test for occult blood. Sometimes the child’s condition, even with pathologically altered stools, may not suffer. Of course, this does not apply to rotavirus infection.

Important! Light, almost white feces in children can also appear against the background of a burdened allergy history. Thus, with the allergic nature of changes in stool color, corrective therapy for the contributing condition is required. Timely therapy allows you to get rid of disturbing stools in 3-4 days. Only the attentiveness of parents and adequate participation of doctors will help the child overcome all possible illnesses.

Yellow feces

Normally, baby feces are yellowish in color and have a soft, mushy consistency. Darkening of the stool occurs as the child ages, when a new diet is formed. When consuming pureed pumpkin, carrots and beef, the baby's stool will be bright yellow. A slight change in the color of the stool may indicate various disturbances in the functioning of internal organs. Saturated yellow stools, up to an orange tint, indicate a disruption in the functioning of the pancreas, kidney or liver structures. This occurs due to difficulty in removing bile. The feces are colored the color of bile.

Darkening of urine with light yellow stool in a child or a change in its color may indicate the development of inflammation of the kidneys and urinary tract (pyelonephritis, cystitis). Typically, the development of inflammation is accompanied by an increase in temperature and a burning sensation when urinating.

A change in the color and consistency of stool while maintaining the child’s normal well-being does not require serious medical correction. Seeing a doctor is necessary if abnormal stool persists for more than 5 days, as well as if unpleasant symptoms occur in the form of nausea, excessive regurgitation of cheesy masses, and vomiting in older children. The child’s body requires special attention, an individual diet and constant examinations by doctors. This is the only way to ensure the child’s full development without illness.

But perhaps it would be more correct to treat not the effect, but the cause?

What does light-colored stool mean in children?

Light-colored stool in a child can signal many problems. It is by the consistency and color of stool that parents can judge the problem conditions of the child. But you shouldn’t panic right away, because feces sometimes change color due to the fact that the baby was fed a new product. Therefore, the mother must first analyze the events preceding such changes.

What affects the color of stool?

It is worth taking into account the fact that at each age children's stool has a different color. As soon as the baby is born, its stool is called meconium. Such stool will have an almost black color and a very viscous consistency. In the first 3-4 days, this situation is normal; later, the stool will begin to lighten. It is also considered normal if the discharge has yellow or white inclusions with a small amount of mucus.

A week after birth, the feces will take on a normal appearance - light yellow or light brown in color and liquid consistency. In a healthy child, stool should be homogeneous and at the same time have the smell of fermented milk products. Until the baby is 3 months old, green or mucous inclusions may still be found in his discharge. This is normal for babies.

The darkening of stool directly depends on the quantitative content of a pigment such as bilirubin. This substance is produced in the liver and is removed from the body in urine and feces.

In many ways, the color and consistency of the discharge depends on the foods consumed. Babies under one year of age are mostly breastfed, so dairy and plant foods make the stool light and liquid. The more milk, the lighter the stool. As the child's diet changes and heavier foods appear in it, the stool will become darker and harder. If a child has white feces, then the mother must remember what she ate or what she fed the child, which could reflect this color in his feces.

Light-colored stool in a child, even white, can be caused by excessive consumption of calcium-containing foods. For example, a mother, worried about the development of her baby’s skeletal system, begins to overfeed him with cottage cheese or sour cream. As a result, the baby begins to use it to go to the toilet. Light-colored stool can also be caused by carbohydrate foods. And of course, we shouldn’t forget about the teething period, when most babies’ stool changes color and also becomes liquid.

To understand why the contents of a child’s diaper change, first of all, you need to pay attention to the accompanying factors: how old is the baby, what does he or the mother eat, and whether teething has begun. Answering all of these questions will help significantly narrow down the potential causes of changes in children's feces. It is also worth paying attention to the baby’s general condition: does he have vomiting or fever, has his appetite deteriorated, or has his night sleep been disturbed. If at least one of these conditions is inherent in the baby, then you need to seek help from a specialist. After all, it is quite possible that light-colored stools are a sign of the development of some disease.

White stool may indicate hepatitis. But parents should not immediately panic, as this disease is accompanied by other symptoms. First of all, the urine darkens. If the mother saw that everything was fine with this, then there is no need to be nervous and worry again. Discolored stool may indicate other problems.

Formula-fed babies usually have firmer stool consistency. Its color can vary from gray to yellow. The color change may be due to a change in the mixture or the introduction of new foods into the diet. For example, if the baby is already one year old, then he can be given beets in small quantities. Accordingly, its discharge will immediately acquire a darker color.

Why does feces turn white?

The reasons that provoke light-colored stool in a child may be associated with the following conditions of the body:

1. Flu or rotavirus infection. In such a situation, the feces will not only lighten, but also acquire a gray tint. Such changes are observed not on the first day of the disease, but after 3-4 days, and in some cases, the stool becomes light-colored after recovery. This is a peculiar reaction of the body, which, along with feces, tries to remove the remnants of medications. If the problem is the flu or infection, then the baby will experience vomiting, diarrhea, fever, loss of appetite and sleep disturbances along with light stools. Such conditions require observation by a doctor.
2. Biliary stagnation. The dark color of stool is caused by the presence of certain bile substances in the masses. If for some reason bile stagnation begins in the child’s body, then his secretions will begin to lighten. Here it is worth taking into account the anatomical features of the child’s body, because it is quite possible that the bile ducts and gallbladder are shaped in such a way that they are bent or twisted. This causes obstruction. And again, this situation requires control by doctors.
3. Inflammatory process in the pancreas. Despite the fact that this disease is more common in adults, children also suffer from it. This applies more to the age category from 4 years, when the child already has a fairly extensive diet. Inflammation of the pancreas makes itself felt not only by light-colored feces, but also by the appearance of periodic (and as the disease progresses, constant) pain on the left side under the ribs, discomfort in the upper abdomen and in the navel area. If the disease develops quickly, the pain will radiate to the lower back and back. Therefore, when the baby begins to complain of this kind of discomfort, parents should immediately take him to a gastroenterologist.
4. Whipple's disease. Unfortunately, little is known about this disease, since it occurs infrequently. The most striking sign of such a disease is loose stools 10 times a day, which are light gray in color. In this case, the consistency of stool can be foamy or pasty.
5. Reaction to medications. The children's body is more susceptible to various types of chemicals. Therefore, if a child was given antibacterial, anti-inflammatory or antipyretic drugs, then it is more likely that his stool will become different.

So that parents do not worry in vain, they must monitor the child’s condition. After all, many diseases have parallel symptoms that help to quickly identify the problem. This means that it is possible to react quickly by showing the baby to the appropriate doctor.

But, nevertheless, if a child has light-colored stool, then in most cases this is simply due to poor nutrition. As a rule, this characteristic of feces is observed in those children who consume large quantities of fatty cottage cheese, sour cream, and milk. Of course, parents prefer homemade fermented milk products, but this is what makes the stool light, viscous and even oily.

Why does stool turn yellow?

Yellow feces are normal for babies who are breastfed. For “artificial” babies, the color of feces varies in the range of brown shades. As the child grows, the color of his stool will change towards darker. But, again, the baby’s nutrition and the presence of any conditions play a decisive role.

The color of stool largely depends on the foods consumed. For example, if a child is fed carrots or pumpkin in large quantities, the masses will acquire a yellow-orange hue. If the color is saturated, then this may indicate the development of a pathological process in one of the organs such as the pancreas, liver or kidneys. If these organs prevent the removal of bile from the body, the stool will turn yellow.

This shade occurs in cases where the baby begins to be transferred to a new brand of formula, and the feces may have an unpleasant odor. If there are any changes in feces, parents should carefully monitor the child's condition. If the color and consistency do not change within 2-3 days, and the baby experiences additional symptoms (nausea, vomiting, fever, dark urine, etc.), then you should immediately contact a medical facility.

Dangerous situations

There are a number of cases when light-colored stool in a baby can signal the onset of a problem in the body. At the same time, it is not necessary for the baby to begin to behave restlessly. If light-colored bowel movements go away on their own after 2-3 days, then, most likely, the mother was inattentive in selecting foods for her baby. But there are a number of situations when long-term monitoring of a child can cost him not only his health, but also his life.

In addition to liquid consistency and changes in stool, such dangerous conditions include the following symptoms:

• urine becomes darker and foamy;
• the child begins to defecate frequently, and the frequency of this process can reach 10 times a day;
• the baby complains of severe abdominal pain, and if he cannot speak yet, he tries to curl up and does not allow him to touch his stomach;
• the child constantly feels sick and vomits, which is why his need for fluid increases;
• The body temperature begins to rise, and antipyretics do not give the desired result.

All of these conditions require immediate response. In addition, it would be useful to get advice from a doctor if the mother notices that the baby’s light-colored stool lasts longer than a couple of days or that this appearance returns with a certain frequency. In this case, the baby will have to undergo tests to identify the true cause.

As a conclusion

But if the mother is worried about some unclear sign, then you can always show the baby to the doctor. After all, early detection of a disease makes it possible to cope with it faster and avoid possible complications. The child's body is very delicate, so parents should treat the health of their baby with special attention.

Why does my baby have white, light or yellow stool?

The color of stool is one of the indicators of human health. This characteristic of stool is especially informative in young children, who cannot always talk about their well-being. Therefore, it is quite justified that parents, especially of a baby, pay so much attention to their children's bowel movements. Sometimes the source of excitement or even panic is the appearance of white feces in a child. But this phenomenon does not always pose a danger to the baby’s health. Let's consider why a child has white stool, what is associated with the light color of stool and how dangerous it is.

Why is baby's stool white?

Experts note that white stool is very rare in children under the first year of life. Light-colored feces may appear in a child during the introduction of complementary foods. Therefore, when the baby’s stool becomes lighter, the mother must remember what new product was introduced into his diet.

Sometimes parents notice white feces in their child during teething. In this case, this is a temporary phenomenon that does not require any treatment and goes away on its own.

Another reason for light-colored stool in a child under one year old is intestinal dysbiosis. This disease is quite common in children of this age. In this case, the baby’s stool becomes frequent, liquid, often changes consistency, and may contain fragments of undigested food and mucus. A child suffering from intestinal dysbiosis behaves restlessly, sleeps poorly, may lose appetite, and lose weight.

Other reasons for the appearance of white feces in a child include the following diseases and conditions:

• Taking medications. First of all, light-colored stools occur after taking medications containing calcium, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory drugs, and antibacterial agents.
• Consumption of certain foods. Products that help lighten children's stool include fatty and sweet foods, and those that contain large amounts of calcium (homemade sour cream, milk, cottage cheese).
• Influenza and adenovirus infection. Most often, it is for this reason that white feces appear in a child. Typically, feces lighten a few days after the first signs of the disease appear and have a grayish tint. Sometimes a change in stool color occurs 1-2 days after recovery, as a reaction of the body to taking medications.
• Stagnation of bile in the gallbladder. The characteristic brown color of stool is given by a special pigment that is secreted simultaneously with bile. If bile stagnates in the gallbladder, this pigment also does not come out, and the stool becomes lighter. This condition can be caused by obstruction of the bile ducts, although sometimes it is due to the anatomical features of the gallbladder, for example, its bending or twisting.
• Hepatitis. White stools are the main symptom of hepatitis. However, you need to know that in the case of this disease, the white color of the stool is necessarily accompanied by darkening of the urine. It becomes very concentrated, resembling the color of beer. In addition, the development of hepatitis is often accompanied by pain in the upper right part of the abdomen, nausea, and deterioration in the child’s general condition.
• Pancreatitis or inflammation of the pancreas. This disease, fortunately, is quite rare in childhood, but still occurs in some children. In addition to light-colored stool, the child experiences nausea and pain in the upper abdomen, which often radiates to the back and lower back.
• Whipple's disease. A not very common pathology, the main symptom of which is liquid white feces in a child. The frequency of bowel movements with this disease reaches 10 times a day or more, the stool has a pungent odor and a pasty or foamy consistency.

Yellow feces in a child

Yellow feces in a baby who is only breastfed in the first months of life is normal. In babies on artificial nutrition, it normally already has different shades of brown.

At an older age, the bright yellow color of the stool, first of all, may indicate that the baby is eating a lot of orange vegetables, such as pumpkin or carrots.

At the same time, saturated yellow stool in a child may be a symptom of the development of a pathological process in the pancreas, liver, kidneys, if it is associated with impaired bile secretion. It is explained by a large amount of bile pigment, which gives the stool a bright yellow color.

In an infant, bright yellow stool often indicates poor absorption of mother's milk. The same type of stool occurs when the baby is switched to a new artificial infant formula. In this case, the stool has an unpleasant sour smell. If your child's stool does not return to normal within a few days, you should take him to your pediatrician.

In any case, in case of any changes in the child’s condition, including long-term changes in the color of his stool, it is necessary to consult a doctor.

Should you be concerned when you see light-colored stools in your child?

One of the indicators of the successful functioning of a child’s body is the consistency and color of stool. No mother will remain indifferent to the non-standard appearance of the contents of a child’s potty, especially if she is not sure what such a symptom means. Light-colored stool in children does not always require immediate medical attention, but it is worth knowing about the reasons for its occurrence so as not to miss a dangerous pathology.

Stool color in children - the norm and its variations

When breastfeeding, your stool should be yellow or apricot in color.

The stool of children and adults is colored by the bile pigment bilirubin, a derivative of erythrocytes, red blood cells. The liver filters out this pigment, then removes it through the bladder and intestines. It is considered normal for children's stool to be brown in various shades.

If this is the stool of a newborn or a baby under one year of breastfeeding, then it is predominantly yellow or apricot in color. For bottle-fed or mixed-fed babies, a cream, brown or gray tint is added to the traditional color, depending on the type of complementary foods or formula.

In children older than one year, the color of the stool can be affected by the foods the baby eats. Thus, beets give the contents of the pot a red color, carrots give them a bright orange color, and drugs taken for anemia turn them dark brown or black. The predominance of meat products in baby food also turns the stool dark brown.

Changing your diet as a cause of light stools

The appearance of light-colored stools is usually very alarming for parents, but often the reason for this may simply be changes in the children's menu. Most often this is the consumption the day before of a large amount of dairy food with a high percentage of fat content - undiluted homemade milk, cream, cottage cheese, sour cream, fermented milk drinks. They can give the stool a light yellow or light cream tint.

The same color of stool may appear when a child eats a large amount of sweets. If the child feels well, does not show anxiety, there is no fever or abdominal pain, it is worth observing the stool for 1-2 days. Usually, after adjusting the diet, this symptom disappears.

Rotavirus infection and the contents of a child's potty

Fever and vomiting may be symptoms of rotavirus infection.

If, in addition to a change in the color of the stool, a child experiences an increase in temperature, as well as signs of intoxication such as diarrhea or vomiting (usually both of these signs), then it is quite possible that he has a rotavirus infection.

The stool changes color from light yellow on the first day to gray-white in the next two to three days. In addition to these symptoms, respiratory manifestations may appear: redness of the throat, runny nose, cough, as well as headache and abdominal pain.

A common symptom with this infection is refusal to eat and increased fatigue. In Whipple's disease, which is very rare and of unknown origin, light-colored stool streaked with blood is one of the characteristic signs.

Along with very frequent bowel movements, such patients can be diagnosed with anemia, polyarthritis, and enlarged lymph nodes. If signs of a viral infection appear in a child, to avoid complications, you should immediately seek medical help.

Medicines that change stool color

This symptom may be a side effect when using certain categories of medications. Stool becomes discolored due to the liver's reaction to certain medications. They may be:

• Paracetamol
• Acetylsalicylic acid derivatives: Aspirin, Laspal
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, Nimesulide
• Antifungal: Griseofulvin
• Antiepileptic drugs: Acediprol, Valproic acid, Convulex, Leptilan

If such a reaction to the use of drugs occurs, you should consult with the specialist who prescribed the treatment in order to avoid complications for the liver and gastrointestinal tract.

Dysbacteriosis and light stools

Dysbiosis in children can occur after taking antibiotics.

One of the side effects of taking antibiotics can be dysbiosis - a change in the balance of microflora in the intestines and stomach towards the predominance of pathogenic bacteria. This condition is manifested by a violation of the usual stool consistency, alternating diarrhea and constipation, and the appearance of light-colored stools with pieces of undigested food and mucus.

Loss of appetite, restless sleep, weight loss due to dysbiosis are also common. You should not attempt to correct this condition on your own; you should consult a gastroenterologist.

Most likely, he will advise taking prebiotics (Lactobacterin, Bifidumbacterin, Acipol), after which the stool should take on a normal color and consistency.

Teething

Something that seems to have absolutely no effect on the condition of the intestines, such as the eruption of baby teeth in a baby, can also affect the color of a child’s stool. Here you just have to be patient and try not to miss the appearance of respiratory or viral infections during this period of temporary decrease in immunity. It is not at all necessary that light-colored stools necessarily appear in all teething children. However, if this symptom is accompanied by the following:

1. swelling and redness of the gums
2. restless and short sleep
3. slight increase in temperature
4. loose stool
5. decreased appetite

To alleviate the condition, you can give a mild pain reliever and do not insist on feeding. After the teeth appear, the stool should return to normal.

Light-colored stools are a reason to get tested for hepatitis

Hepatitis can cause changes in a child's stool.

It is this reason that the child’s parents try to exclude when they see white stool, which is one of the signs of infection with the hepatitis virus. In addition, the following symptoms may be present:

• darkening of urine (dark beer color)
• pain in the right upper abdomen and severe bloating
• yellowing of the skin
• yellowing of the sclera of the eyes
• loss of appetite
• nausea
• heat.

To clarify the diagnosis, you need to contact a pediatrician or infectious disease specialist. Most likely, they will order laboratory tests to clarify the diagnosis. Hepatitis can also have a smoothed course, when there are no other symptoms except increased fatigue and pain in the right hypochondrium.

Unidentified hepatitis is dangerous due to its transition to a chronic form, cirrhosis of the liver; it poses a threat to others, as it is transmitted through blood and most biological fluids of the human body.

Biliary tract pathologies

Discoloration of stool may be a consequence of pathologies of the biliary tract and pancreas, such as:

Inflammation of the gallbladder, or cholecystitis, can manifest itself in addition to light-colored stools, also by pain in the epigastric region after spicy and fatty foods, loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting. Its cause may be complications after suffering from a sore throat, flu, scarlet fever, gastritis, a reaction to lamblia, worms.

Often, cholecystitis occurs as a result of abuse of fatty, fried foods in combination with a sedentary lifestyle, exclusion of vegetables and fruits from the diet. The gastroenterologist will prescribe a diet, treatment, and give recommendations for a healthy lifestyle.

Another disease that can cause light-colored stools is a kink in the gallbladder. It can occur as a complication of cholecystitis, or it can appear when the diet is not followed, the child lifts unbearable weights, or experiences prolonged stress.

The video will tell you in detail about the baby's stool:

Manifestations of the bend may include pain in the right hypochondrium, nausea and vomiting after eating, increased gas formation, cracks in the outer corners of the mouth, and coating on the tongue. When the gallbladder is bent, bile accumulates, stagnates, and metabolic disorders occur. This condition is fraught with complications such as diabetes, deterioration of muscle and vascular tone, and decreased vision.

Pearlescent or light gray color of the stool appears with a disease such as pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas. It occurs mostly as a result of frequent consumption of spicy, fatty, fried and smoked foods. In addition to the acute form of this disease, manifested by acute girdle pain, chronic pancreatitis may occur, which is not easy to diagnose.

There may be bitterness or dry mouth, chronic or paroxysmal pain, nausea and vomiting, heartburn, constipation. These symptoms are relieved by sitting or bending forward. Treatment in a hospital and adherence to a diet can lead to a complete recovery of the child.

Having seen light-colored stool in a child, you need to try to clarify the reason for its appearance. To do this, it is necessary to analyze his diet, medications used, and exclude teething. If the baby’s condition does not cause concern, there are no symptoms of viral, infectious or other diseases, it is enough to simply observe him for several days. If you suspect a gastrointestinal pathology, if you experience pain or fever, you should immediately seek medical help.

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Possible causes of yellow stool in a child

Yellow feces in a child can be considered an indicator of health. By the color of feces it is easy to determine what the baby is sick with.

In addition, by examining the contents of the pot, we can draw preliminary conclusions about how the internal organs responsible for metabolic processes work.

Normal color of stool in children

In a newborn baby receiving milk from the mother's breast, the stool, if there are no health problems, turns yellow or apricot.

The pigment contained in bile, bilirubin, gives the necessary color to stool. This substance is a derivative of red blood cells.

The pigment passes through the “filters” of the liver and is excreted into the bladder and intestines. Thanks to the addition of this substance, the stool turns brown, and this color can be either pale or rich.

The stool of a baby who is fed artificial milk formula is not apricot, but cream. Sometimes it turns grayish, which is affected by the components specifically contained in the product.

The color of stool in a child older than one year is also dependent on the food consumed. For example, after the intestines digest borscht, the feces of a 2-year-old baby may turn reddish.

From carrots, the contents of the pot will definitely be bright orange, and from medications to replenish iron deficiency, it will be rich brown.

The stool of a child who has entered his second year always becomes darker due to frequent consumption of meat dishes.

But not only cutlets, but also any other products that occupy a major place in the diet can affect the color of stool.

Therefore, it is considered normal if a child’s feces have the following shades:

• dark brown (due to a diet consisting of a variety of foods);
• light brown (appearing as a result of eating only plant foods);
• black-brown (formed under the influence of constantly consumed meat products);
• light yellow with a hint of orange (resulting from a strict dairy diet).

A child’s stool can also be quite light in color, which can cause concern among parents. However, in most cases, mom and dad have nothing to worry about, since the pale yellow color of the stool is the result of the baby feeding on cottage cheese, cream and milk.

It is these foods that are most often given to growing children, which is why their feces acquire a creamy color.

Sweets eaten in large quantities are often the culprit for lightening stool. If, despite the appearance of feces, a 2-year-old child feels fine and does not have a fever, then there is no need to worry about him.

Although it doesn’t hurt to monitor the baby’s condition for several days. This will help you find out if your child is experiencing symptoms such as stomach pain and diarrhea.

In children over 4 years of age, stool is bright yellow. The reason for this phenomenon is the child’s consumption of large amounts of fresh grated carrots or boiled pumpkin porridge.

But in some cases, the acquisition of yellow stool may be associated with the occurrence of pathological processes in the liver, gland under the stomach, kidneys or bile ducts.

“Problematic” child’s bowel movements

But why a child develops diarrhea, in which the intestines are emptied in masses of a yellow hue, only a doctor can determine, since many ailments manifest themselves this way.

Children over 1 year of age most often suffer from yellow diarrhea due to food intoxication as a result of eating a product that has passed its expiration date.

The degree of poisoning can be either mild, when the baby suffers only from diarrhea and abdominal pain, or severe, in which the functioning of other organs is disrupted.

An infectious disease of the digestive tract or a failure in the production of enzymes necessary for digesting food can cause a child to feel unwell.

The production of insufficient amounts of these substances is associated with a hereditary factor.

In addition, the baby's intestines may defecate yellow feces with an unnatural frequency due to individual intolerance to certain foods and drinks.

Proof that a child has a hereditary fermentopathy, that is, galactosemia, phenylketonuria or celiac disease, is usually not only diarrhea.

These diseases have symptoms characteristic only of them. Frequent yellow stools and some other symptoms also manifest themselves in diseases of the digestive system - gastritis, colitis and enterocolitis.

Doctors determine which particular illness is bothering the child by the location and nature of the pain, the frequency of bowel movements and the appearance of the stool.

Another common cause of yellow diarrhea is emotional stress in the baby.

Not less often than stressful situations, problems with stool are caused by an imbalance of beneficial and opportunistic microflora of the digestive tract.

Unfortunately, in children there is also a disease that leads to frequent yellow bowel movements, such as acute leukemia - blood cancer.

Another manifestation of a dangerous pathology is bleeding and ulceration of the walls of the digestive organs.

A 2-year-old child may suffer from frequent bowel movements with yellow feces after long-term use of drugs that destroy pathogenic microflora in the cavity of the digestive organs.

The fact is that along with harmful bacteria, under the influence of a special medicine, beneficial microorganisms responsible for the normal functioning of the digestive system also die.

In children, the balance between pathogenic and beneficial bacteria is much easier to disrupt. In addition, a small child, unlike an adult, is almost not protected from side effects.

Therefore, after a course of treatment of the baby with antibacterial drugs, his condition must be monitored for a long time. The occurrence of yellow diarrhea is a reason to urgently consult a pediatrician.

Actions before visiting a doctor

If a child often goes to the toilet, but does not suffer from vomiting, pain and other symptoms of gastrointestinal diseases, then he needs to be looked after for some time.

When monitoring your baby, you should exclude from his diet foods that can stain feces. If, despite all the measures taken, the stool remains light yellow, then the child needs to be taken to the clinic.

A doctor’s consultation will be needed urgently when the parents discover that the baby’s stool has not only turned white, but also his urine has darkened.

Even a 3-year-old child can develop hepatitis or dysbacteriosis. It is also possible that the baby will begin to feel unwell due to problems with the functioning of the gallbladder.

But only a pediatrician can draw conclusions regarding the reasons for the lightening of stool, who will prescribe medications for the child that are effective, but necessarily gentle on the child’s body.

By the way, medications are also often responsible for changes in the color of stool.

If parents suspect that it was the medications that made the stool light, then they are advised to monitor whether the color of the stool changes after finishing taking the medications.

Until it was possible to get to the pediatrician, it is recommended to give Smecta powder to a child suffering from diarrhea.

Parents need to find out what their baby recently drank and ate and who he came into contact with. It is much easier to find out this from 2-year-old children than from one-year-old children, because the latter are unlikely to be able to tell their parents about anything, who will have to draw their own conclusions.

At the same time, they should focus on how the baby relates to food. If he refuses to breastfeed and complementary foods, then there is no doubt that the child is sick.

When the baby, despite diarrhea, happily feeds on breast milk, there is nothing to worry about, since soon the “yellow liquid problem” will disappear on its own.

Children over one year old can be given not only Smecta to normalize stool. Enterosorbents such as activated carbon and Enterosgel also cope well with this task.

Thanks to special medications, it will be possible to remove toxins from the body. If vomiting occurs, which often accompanies diarrhea with yellow feces, the child should be given weak tea, saline solution or plain boiled water.

A child who has a fever and pain in the epigastric region needs to be urgently taken to the hospital.

Diarrhea, supplemented by the listed symptoms, may indicate the development of serious pathologies.

Therefore, having realized that it is impossible to cope with diarrhea and unpleasant sensations on your own, you need to rush to the doctor so that the doctor examines the sick child.

In desperation, you should not resort to folk remedies, as they may turn out to be useless, and the time during which the necessary measures could be taken will be lost.

So, a child’s stool turns yellow for various reasons. Usually, light-colored stool is associated with the consumption of certain foods, but in some situations, yellow stool is a sign of disease.