BLOOD IN THE BABY FECES
There are many case about baby faces with blood could not have known about
cause. It the baby is otherwise in well conditions or growing, the blood in
the faces usually resolves by its own, but you should always make sure about
it by discuss with your baby's doctor.
The color of the blood gives you a clue about where it originated. Blood originating
in the colon or rectum tends to be red and may only streak the outside of the
stool. If the blood originates further up the GI tract, then the blood is generally
darker in color (dark brown/maroon, black) and mixed throughout the stool instead
of just on the outside.
Some potential causes of blood in baby's stools:
- A common cause of blood in an infant's stool is a slight anal tear (fissure)
from baby straining with the passage of the stool. The small amount of blood
from an anal fissure tends to look like a red streak on the outside of the
stool.
- Another common cause of blood in the stools of infants is food allergies.
The top allergens are cow's milk products and soy.
- A third common cause: If mom has a cracked nipple or other bleeding, then
baby may ingest some blood from mom (this is not harmful to baby), which may
show up in baby's stool.
- Occasionally, blood in the stool may be due to breastmilk oversupply. Per
Dr. Jack Newman, bloody stools in some babies have been eliminated completely
by resolving mom's oversupply. This can be done by following the usual management
procedures for oversupply; it can also be helpful to use breast compressions
to increase the amount of fat that baby gets while nursing.
- There are several case reports of a baby beginning to have mucous and/or
blood in the stool after starting vitamin/fluoride drops, where the blood
disappeared after the drops were discontinued.
- Blood in the stool may also be caused by a temporary case of lactose intolerance,
due to an intestinal infection.
- Certain kinds of infectious diarrhea can cause bloody stools in babies,
including Salmonella and C. Difficile. C. Difficile is a bacteria that grows
in the gut if the bacterial balance has been upset; the toxin can cause injury
to the mucosa and bloody stools. Breastfed babies tend to have less severe
symptoms than non-breastfed babies because breastmilk inhibits the growth
of the bacteria.
- Various forms of colitis, intussusception, or other intestinal disorders
are other possible causes.
Does blood in the stool require a trip to the emergency room?
You should always talk to baby's doctor if there is blood in baby's stool,
but whether or not this requires an emergency visit would depend upon your child's
behavior. If baby is happy and seems healthy, then call your doctor to make
an appointment. If baby is experiencing abdominal pain, significant bleeding
in the stool, diarrhea, vomiting, and/or fever, then more urgent medical care
is indicated. Per Dr. Jay Gordon, "Persistent or increasing blood in the
stool or blood mixed with mucus (described as "currant jelly" stool
in the texts) requires an immediate call to your doctor." (by Kelly
Bonyata, BS, IBCLC - Baby.TopResource.NET Reference)
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