Blood In Baby's Stool: Know The Reasons

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Blood in a baby stool should be taken seriously. The baby has natural healing powers and in most cases, it will resolve by itself. But, it is necessary that it should be brought to the notice of the doctor, just to clear out any major complications.

An emergency visit to the doctor depends on the behaviour of the child. If the child seems to have abdominal pain and fever, then it is necessary to take your child immediately to the doctor.

The colour of the blood will indicate from where the blood is originating. If it is from the colon or the rectum, the blood tends to be red and only a streak, which is usually outside the stool. If the bleeding originates from the GI tract, the blood is usually darker in colour. This is usually dark brown, maroon or black. Also, this will be found throughout the stool and not only on the outside.

Though it is only natural that there is blood in baby stool after constipation, there can be various other causes for this. Most of the time, this can get resolved by itself, but it always better to mention it to the doctor. The following are a few of the other causes for blood in baby stool.

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Anal Tear
One of the main reasons for blood in baby stool is a fissure in the anus of the infant. The bleeding can be due to the strain for passing the stool. Even a small amount of blood will look like a red streak. There can also be cases when there is blood in baby stool after constipation.

Food Allergies
This is one of the most common causes of blood in baby stool. A very common allergen is cow’s milk products and soy. Blood in the stool can be caused due to the temporary case of lactose intolerance. Bleeding can occur when there is an oversupply of breast milk also. This can also occur when the child is allergic to breast milk. Intestinal infection could be another reason for the bleeding.

Diarrhoea
Though blood in baby stool after constipation is a common sign, bleeding can also occur after an infectious diarrhoea. This is caused due to bacteria that grow in the stomach, upsetting the bacterial balance. This can cause injury to the mucosa and thereby lead to bloody stools. Breastfed babies have less chance of this because the breast milk inhibits the growth of the bacteria.

Cracked Nipples
When an infant is being breastfed and the mother has cracked nipples, this can also cause blood in baby stool. This blood is not harmful to the baby and it simply passes in the stools. You can continue feeding the baby and wait patiently for the nipple to heal.

Vitamin/fluoride drops
Blood in baby stool can be caused when you start giving the child vitamin/fluoride drops. It can happen only in some cases and hence, it can’t be ignored. The blood will disappear when the drops are discontinued. Any other intestinal disorders such as colitis can also be possible causes for the bleeding.

Never ignore when your baby passes stool with blood. If the problem does not get resolved by itself, seek the help of a medical practitioner for an early diagnosis.