A child has loose, dark stools for 2 years: reasons

Sometimes there is a sharp change in the color of stool. This can occur against the background of various pathological and physiological disorders in the body. Black stool in a child does not always indicate serious illness.

Often this condition occurs as a result of eating certain foods or taking certain medications. But you should not ignore the change in color of stool in children.

Experts identify many reasons, including dangerous ones, that can trigger the development of serious diseases.

Why can a child's stool change color?

According to statistics, dark stool in children implies the development of stomach pathologies or hemorrhage in the esophagus. This is explained by the fact that when blood is released in the upper part of the digestive system, its chemical decomposition occurs during the digestion of food.

It takes a relatively long period of time for the blood to reach the rectum, causing it to turn black. When blood is released in the lower part, the color will be bright red .

Most often, internal bleeding is not the root cause of changes in feces in childhood.

The appearance of this condition can be contributed to by various gastrointestinal diseases, individual characteristics of metabolic processes, or the food eaten.

For any changes in stool in children, you should consult a pediatrician.

Possible consequences

If for some reason adequate therapy does not occur, the risk of complications that can pose a threat to the health and life of the child increases. Of particular danger is:

1. Anemia. The development of this pathology causes a lack of iron ions in the body. This manifestation is accompanied by the development of a fainting state that forms against the background of general weakness and lethargy. The skin becomes pale, shortness of breath and palpitations appear.
2. Dehydration. Usually occurs due to the removal of large amounts of fluid from the body. It is especially dangerous for the youngest patients. They experience a strong feeling of thirst, the surface of the skin and mucous membranes becomes dry, and urine production decreases. This situation causes general intoxication of the body. If internal bleeding occurs, then large blood loss can cause a clinical picture, the manifestation of which will be a signal for urgent hospitalization. Signs that will indicate internal bleeding: stool becomes distinctly black, sometimes streaked with blood; there is a loss of strength and a feeling of weakness; blood pressure levels drop sharply, causing a hypotensive crisis; the skin becomes pale in color, sometimes with a bluish tint (cyanosis); a weak pulse is accompanied by the appearance of fainting; pain in the lower abdomen is pronounced, due to which the child acquires a forced position, taking the “embryo” position; complete loss of consciousness can occur if no therapeutic measures are taken.
3. Hemorrhagic shock. Causes loss of consciousness due to a sharp decrease in blood pressure (the figure drops to 60 mmHg). The skin takes on a pale appearance, and the lips and phalanges of the fingers turn blue. At the same time, the child begins to sweat heavily and develops tachycardia. Lack of proper therapy can cause death.

In order to prevent diseases of the digestive system of any origin, the child needs to develop the habit of thoroughly washing his hands upon arrival home. This also needs to be done before every meal. The child must be explained in an accessible form about the benefits of homemade food, and what harm street food products (fast food, hot dogs, sweet carbonated water) can cause. In addition, if one family member is suspected of having an intestinal infection, the entire family must be examined.

Causes

There are many provoking factors that can cause a child’s stool to change color. The causes may vary in newborns and older children.

In infants

In newly born babies, the first bowel movement is called meconium. Discharge of black stool is observed on the second or third day after birth. The consistency of stool is viscous, sticky, and has no specific odor.

Meconium may consist of bile, epithelial debris, prenatal hairs, water, mucous contents, and amniotic fluid.

It is due to these components that the darkening of feces occurs.

Experts see no reason for parents to worry here.

As a rule, normalization of bowel movements occurs already on the 6th day. The color becomes yellowish-brown and the consistency becomes mushy.

Experts identify another reason that may contribute to dark stool coloration - individual lactose intolerance.

As a result of its inadequate digestion, irritation of the intestinal mucosa occurs, increased peristalsis and rapid passage of excrement through the intestinal canal, which contributes to their coloring black.

If lactase deficiency is noted, then, in addition to loose stools with various impurities and an unpleasant odor, such a condition will be accompanied by pain in the abdominal area, increased gas production and excessive regurgitation.

In one-year-old children

From about 10 months to 1 year, the color of stool can often change as a result of the introduction of complementary foods. This is especially true if the baby has been breastfed throughout the entire period.

The first stool may be completely consistent in color with the food that was present in the diet.

This is explained by the fact that the digestive system, which has not yet become stronger, is capable of digesting only a small part of the food entering the child’s body.

The rest of it comes out undigested along with feces.

In a one-year-old child, the stool may change color even against the background of certain foods, for example, after beet puree, bananas, apples, grapes, cherries, and animal liver.

Internal bleeding and gastrointestinal diseases as causes

In children, both newborns and 2 years of age or older, various pathological processes can contribute to the appearance of black stool.

Depending on age, the provoking factors of bleeding may be different.

Before two years of age, the following conditions are often the causes:

1. Meckel's diverticulum . The anomaly is congenital and is not accompanied by characteristic clinical signs. It is possible to diagnose the disease in later stages, which occur with complications.

2. 
   Intussusception . It appears at the moment when the child is introduced to complementary foods. As a result, the intestines do not always cope with new foods present in the diet. Against this background, the lumen closes and obstruction develops.

3. Esophageal hernia . It can appear regardless of the child’s age. Accompanied by vomiting with bloody impurities, cyanosis of the skin, rumbling, and the presence of blood in the stool.
4. Duplication of the colon . Pathology also applies to congenital ones. It is detected in rare cases, but requires immediate surgery, since nearby anatomical structures may be compressed. The main sign of pathology is bleeding.
5. Injury to the rectum . Cracks can appear as a result of incorrectly administered enemas, lesions due to helminthic infestations, or due to frequent constipation.

6. 
   Crohn's disease . It is characterized by the development of an inflammatory process in all parts of the digestive system and the formation of ulcerative lesions. In most cases, it is detected in older children (10-18 years old).

At three years old, children often suffer from polyps, which also lead to bleeding. These are growths that form in the intestinal lumen.

The pathology is manifested by the presence of blood impurities in the stool and pain during bowel movements.

At the age of 8, black feces often appear with gastritis and ulcerative colitis. With an eroded lesion, the mucous membrane bleeds when particles of undigested food fall on it. Feces mix with blood, causing them to take on a dark color.

Dark stool in infant

Normally, a baby's stool is yellowish-brown in color. Dark stools in infants occur when taking medications or eating certain foods. In a healthy newborn, black stool on days 2-3 is meconium, which is not a pathology.

In healthy babies under 1 year of age, stool has a mushy consistency. The color of the stool is yellow-brown.

Normally, small lumps are possible, which are formed by milk protein. After introducing complementary foods, the stool becomes a little thicker. Inclusions of food particles appear in it.

Dark stool in a newborn baby

After birth, on days 1-3, dark stool is noted - meconium or original feces. The passage of meconium is considered a transient condition.

The baby in the womb receives food only through the umbilical cord. The fetal intestine is sterile. It contains no digestive bacteria.

During gestation, the baby periodically swallows amniotic fluid. When they enter the intestines, they turn into feces.

After birth, the baby is placed at the breast. With food, he receives bacteria that populate the digestive tract. Microorganisms also come from the mother's skin.

Original feces are very viscous and sticky. It has a dark green or black tint. Feces are poorly washed off the baby’s skin.

After the meconium has completely passed, the stools become yellowish-green, more liquid, and more frequent.

By 1.5 weeks of life, feces acquire a yellow tint with whitish-yellow lumps.

Mixed stool

Black stool may appear in an infant due to the consumption of formula rich in iron.

Iron, entering the stomach cavity, is oxidized by hydrochloric acid. Then it is mixed with food.

Because of this, the stool turns black.

Darkening of stool from iron is a normal condition. If you change the formula, the stool color will turn yellowish.

Medicines containing iron also cause darkening of stool.

When medications are discontinued, the stool becomes yellowish. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs also change the color of stool.

Useful tips for mothers: BABY HEALTH

Dark stool can be caused by taking activated charcoal. The medicine particles are not digested and are therefore excreted in the stool.

The stool is of a deep black hue.

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis

Feces change color due to intestinal pathologies.

In Crohn's disease and nonspecific ulcerative colitis, ulcers of the intestinal mucosa form. Pathologies are caused by genetic damage.

With ulcerative lesions of the intestine, streaks of blood, mucus and other inclusions appear in the stool.

The blood mixes with the stool, which becomes darker. The consistency of stool is liquid, less often mushy.

The child experiences severe abdominal pain.

Ulcerative lesions of the upper intestines can lead to intestinal bleeding. At the same time, the stool is black, liquid, and frequent.

Gastrointestinal bleeding or melena

Black stool is possible due to gastrointestinal bleeding or melena. The baby has loose stools.

Intestinal bleeding is a complication of:

• Crohn's disease;
• intestinal diverticulosis;
• helminthic infestation;
• hiatal hernia;
• intestinal injuries.

Intestinal diverticulosis is a disease in which there are diverticula or protrusions on the mucous membrane of the digestive tract.

When the digestive bolus passes, the diverticula become damaged and begin to bleed.

Blood mixes with the digestive bolus, causing the stool to become black and runny.

Helminthic infestations can cause damage to the intestinal mucosa. This leads to bleeding inside the intestinal cavity.

Abdominal pain, deterioration in health, increased frequency and darkening of bowel movements are noted.

A hiatal hernia is also a protrusion that, when the digestive lump passes through, is damaged and begins to bleed.

Blood, passing to the stomach, coagulates under the influence of hydrochloric acid. Coagulated and darkened blood is mixed with chyme. The stool becomes black.

Intestinal injuries are possible due to strong impacts, falls and other situations. The intestines are damaged and bleeding occurs. Severe diarrhea is detected.

Black stool occurs with lesions of the stomach and small intestine. Bloody - in patients with damage to the colon and rectum.

If dark, liquid and profuse stool occurs, you must call an ambulance. You cannot stop bleeding on your own, as this is life-threatening.

Complementary feeding as a cause of stool color change

Feces change with the introduction of complementary foods. It acquires a thicker consistency.

When some products are introduced, the stool turns black or acquires dark inclusions.

Complementary foods that affect the nature of feces:

• green apples;
• bananas;
• prunes;
• blueberry;
• blackberry;
• currant;
• chokeberry.

Beetroot and meat products: liver, red meat also change the color of stool.

Prunes, blueberries, blackberries have a dark shade. The child’s digestive tract does not process them completely, so the stool becomes dark in color or has black inclusions.

Green apples, liver and red meat contain iron. It turns the stool dark. After changing the diet, the symptoms go away on their own.

If a baby's stool color has changed while on complementary foods, it is necessary to monitor his well-being.

If there is no abdominal pain, the baby feels well and no treatment is required.

When a change in the color of stool is accompanied by apathy, drowsiness, moodiness and other symptoms, you should consult a pediatrician or gastroenterologist.

Complications

The constant presence of black stool is a symptom of ulcers or damage to the digestive tract. Blood is constantly released from the affected areas of the mucous membrane.

If this condition is not treated, the baby will become anemic or dehydrated. Anemia is a deficiency of hemoglobin in the blood, which is dangerous due to hypoxia of the brain and other organs.

Dehydration in infants leads to serious consequences, since the child’s body is 80-90% water.

Even a small loss of fluid will cause shock. Severe blood loss leads to hemorrhagic shock, which is manifested by a decrease in blood pressure and loss of consciousness.

When you need to see a doctor, what to do

You should consult a doctor if darkening of the stool is accompanied by severe abdominal pain.

Intestinal bleeding is also a dangerous condition that requires urgent attention. The child has severe diarrhea, loss of consciousness, severe anemia, and hemorrhagic shock.

If the baby feels well, then you just need to monitor him, change his diet, and stop taking medications.

If after these measures the stool improves, then the child does not have any pathology.

Black stools can be caused by food or medications. These conditions do not require treatment, since when replacing formula, complementary foods, or stopping medications, stool becomes normal.

Help is required only in cases where there are symptoms of intestinal diseases. Dark stool in this case is combined with diarrhea syndrome, deterioration of the condition, loss of consciousness, drowsiness, and weakness.

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When to visit a specialist

In most cases, the appearance of black stool in a child is not cause for concern and does not indicate serious conditions.

When such a phenomenon is accompanied by a lack of appetite, increased moodiness, attacks of nausea and vomiting, redness of the anus, weight loss, abdominal pain and other alarming signs, it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor.

Methods for normalizing stool

If dark stools were caused by eating certain foods, then it is enough to exclude them from the child’s diet.

When the cause is a disease or bleeding, drug therapy is used.

Surgery is required to eliminate hemorrhages.

Treatment of chronic pathologies of the digestive system is based on taking medications such as antibiotics for the intestines, anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as medications whose action is aimed at reducing the acidity of gastric juice.

Black feces in children, newborns (infants) - causes

For a newborn baby, a child who has just been born, black stool with green streaks, with green blood in it, is completely normal. Doctors usually call black-green stool in newborns as meconium. Such black feces (stool) with green impurities in a newborn should not cause any concern for parents, especially in the first days and weeks of the baby’s life.

Over time, the baby's meconium, or black-green stool, is replaced by completely normal stool, which should be mustard-colored, light yellow in color, liquid, and containing small white lumps. Such white lumps, impurities or streaks in the stool of a newborn baby are absolutely normal. The content of mucus in the stool of a newborn is also normal. A newborn's stool should also contain a sour odor.

First aid for black stool in a child

Constant diarrhea leads to dehydration of the baby. Dehydration is characterized by dry skin, lips, tongue, and severe thirst. No urine is released for 3–6 hours. This condition threatens the child's life. At the first such signs, call an ambulance and take urgent measures:

1. The main help of parents is to prevent dangerous dehydration. To do this, you need to give the child 1 tsp of water. every 10–12 minutes. The fastest way to restore the water-salt balance are pharmaceutical powders that are pre-diluted with water - Regidron, Glucosolan. A product of this composition can be easily prepared at home. Dissolve 2 tbsp in 1 liter of bottled or any water. l. sugar and 1 tsp. soda and salt. Pour 1 tsp into the baby's mouth. solution every 10–12 minutes.
2. Give enterosorbents - Smecta, Laktofiltrum, Enterosgel. These drugs contain substances that bind toxins that have entered the body.
3. If the temperature is elevated, use a rectal suppository with Efferalgan or Paracetamol or give the child a syrup containing these drugs to drink

Black stool, feces in an infant, in infants and children under one year old - reasons

Black feces in a breastfed baby under one year old may appear due to the intake of certain feeding formulas that contain large amounts of iron. Black feces in an infant may appear due to taking certain vitamin complexes or certain medications, if they were prescribed for use by the attending physician.

Doctors believe that if an infant under one year old has black feces (stool) or if his feces contain black inclusions, black grains, various kinds of black inclusions, and such a dark color of feces is not accompanied by painful symptoms, pain due to which the child cries , then this situation does not require any treatment, parents should not worry about this.

Why does a child older than one year have black stools (feces) - what disease?

In schoolchildren and adolescents, black feces and stools may appear due to the development of certain diseases or internal bleeding.

The main diseases and causes of the appearance of black feces in children older than one year, schoolchildren and adolescents:

Food poisoning

In case of food poisoning, a child may develop dark, black stool due to severe intoxication of the body. Viruses, various kinds, bacteria that enter the child’s body, entering the intestines, contribute to the development of severe intoxication. When a child is poisoned, he or she usually feels nauseous; if there is severe intoxication, he vomits, and diarrhea (diarrhea) may appear. In some cases, diarrhea may be in the form of black diarrhea or food poisoning may be accompanied by pain in the abdomen, lower abdomen and black, dark-colored stools.

In children, food poisoning is often accompanied by dark green stool, diarrhea and severe headaches.

Colitis - the cause of black stools, feces

Colitis in children is considered to be a sign of severe stress on the eve of experiencing it. This disease leads to the appearance of an inflammatory process in the colon, which appears due to the development of a bacterial infection in the child’s body. When this disease appears, the symptoms of colitis may be the following: severe pain in the abdominal area, lower abdomen, elevated or high body temperature, nausea, which can lead to vomiting, and dark brown stool, which in some cases can be completely black stool or even black diarrhea.

A change in the normal color of stool due to the development of colitis appears due to a strong inflammatory process in the intestines.

Internal bleeding in a child and black stool

Black feces, both in children and adults, can appear due to internal bleeding. If the child is weak, chills appear, body temperature rises, if the child is dizzy, he turns pale and has black feces. black diarrhea, seek emergency medical attention.

Intestinal diverticulitis in a child and black stool (feces)

This disease is characterized by the appearance of an inflammatory process in the intestines, which spreads very quickly. Diverticulitis is characterized by the appearance of diverticula in the intestine; they are formations on the intestinal walls in the form of hernias. Symptoms of diverticulitis include nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite in the child. And black feces in a child with diverticulitis appear due to the fact that minor bleeding may occur due to inflammation of the intestinal mucosa, which leads to the appearance of bloody formations in the child’s feces, to the appearance of black feces or even diarrhea, black diarrhea.

A change in the color of stool is one of the main signs of disorders in the child’s digestive tract. This is especially true for children and preschoolers. And a wise parent will pay attention to this feature. Therefore, it is worth considering the reasons why black stool appears in a child, and what actions should be taken in this case.

Black stool in a child: 4 reasons, help, 4 facts about baby stool in infants

Article last updated: 04/20/2018

The texture, smell, and color of stool can indicate a person's health. Therefore, when the stool suddenly turns black, this is a reason to think about the reasons for this phenomenon. Perhaps this is due to ordinary and harmless things. For example, by eating certain foods.

But it happens that black stool in a child indicates serious illnesses that require emergency medical intervention. There are also a number of chronic diseases and conditions where blackened stool is a dangerous and very suspicious symptom.

The normal color of stool ranges from yellow-brown to dark brown, and varies slightly. It depends on eating habits and personal characteristics of the body. The final color is formed due to the presence in the stool structure of products processed by intestinal bile and undigested food particles that made up the diet of a particular person in the last few days.

A breastfed baby's stool is yellow or slightly green and has a soft texture. It can be quite liquid, with a consistency similar to porridge. There are many normal shades of baby stool. One of them is a greener tint, which means that mom ate something not entirely typical of her diet. When your baby has no other symptoms, there is no reason to worry.

As a rule, every parent knows what stool color is normal for their child. Therefore, when the stool becomes unusual, it is impossible not to notice.

The very first thick, black, sticky deposits in a baby's diaper are far from the feces that will come later. Your baby's first stool is called meconium.

Meconium fills the intestines of all newborns. It gets its distinct color from bile, a fluid produced in the liver that aids digestion.

In addition to bile, meconium contains amniotic fluid, lanugo (the fine hair that covers your baby's body while inside the uterus), dead skin cells, mucus and bilirubin.

Most of these ingredients are harmless, but too much bilirubin in the blood can lead to jaundice.

Meconium stool is quickly replaced by transitional stool 3 to 5 days after birth. This stool is a little weaker and more greenish-brown in color. It is a “transition” to regular milk stool, which can be seen around the sixth day.

If your baby's stool is still black even after three days, or after transitional stool after five days, it may be a sign that the baby is not getting enough food and you should talk to your pediatrician right away.

A one-year-old's stool that looks black, tarry, or bloody can be quite scary for parents, but does not always indicate a serious illness.

Food

You don't have to worry about the occasional black stool. Black stool does not always mean there is blood in it. The color change can only be associated with the diet of a small child.

Red beets, prunes, pomegranates, red grapes, black currants, blueberries and other fruits, berries, and vegetables can change the color of the stool.

It is enough to stop eating these foods, and after a couple of days the feces will acquire a normal, familiar color.

Don't worry if you have normal-colored black inclusions in your stool—these are simply undigested food particles that have changed color in the digestive tract.

A common cause of intense concern is the presence of inclusions in the stool that look like small black worms. They are usually confused with worms and go to doctors to get tested and begin deworming. It is more likely that this is fiber from a banana eaten earlier. Real parasites have a completely different color - white or yellowish.

Medicines

Black stool may suddenly appear in an infant after taking certain medications. For example, medications used to prevent and treat anemia include iron, which gives stool that color. Vitamin complexes, medications with bismuth, and activated carbon have the same effect.

If you find that your child has black stools after using any medications, you need to carefully read the instructions for them.

It should be noted that drugs containing acetylsalicylic acid, as well as some anti-inflammatory drugs (Ibuprofen, Diclofenac) and anti-clotting agents, cannot stain the stool itself. However, their use sometimes causes internal bleeding.

Therefore, if you find black stool in a child, especially in the form of diarrhea, during treatment with these drugs, you should immediately seek medical help.

Bile

Sometimes the color of the stool is not black, but it appears so in poor lighting. This usually occurs when the baby has dark green stools due to bile and may look very dark. If this is the case, you can confirm your doubts by rubbing a piece of stool on something white or looking at it more closely under a bright light.

Gastrointestinal bleeding

When a child experiences other symptoms along with blackened stools - fever, pain, prolonged anguished crying, vomiting - this indicates bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract.

Various reasons that can cause bleeding:

• stomach ulcer;
• gastritis;
• Mallory-Weiss gap;
• foreign body or organ injury;
• intestinal ischemia (when blood does not properly supply the intestines);
• vascular malformation.

Every parent, when they notice black stool in their baby, begins to worry about what is causing these changes. Don't panic in advance.

Carefully study your child's diet over the past few days. If the food products mentioned above (beets, currants, pomegranates, etc.) were present, then more than likely they were the ones that colored the stool an unusual black color.

Perhaps the reason is the use of certain medications (they were also mentioned earlier). In the case where the child has recently eaten regular foods and has not taken any medications, suddenly blackened stools are likely to indicate the occurrence of a life-threatening condition.

And a visit to the doctor cannot be postponed.

Monitor the texture and color of your stool for several days. If the causes are harmless and not dangerous (for example, the use of certain foods and medications), then the stool returns to normal no more than 2 days after eliminating them. In cases where the feces have turned black due to serious illnesses, this will not happen.

Pay special attention to a child whose stool suddenly turns black. Does your baby look sick? How had he been feeling in the weeks and months prior to the blackening of his stools?

When the causes of blackening of the stool are harmless, the child’s well-being does not change, he feels healthy and full of energy.

When the occurrence of black feces is accompanied by constipation, bloating, vomiting, nausea, anemia, heartburn, abdominal pain and other suspicious painful signals, the intensity of which increases over time, it is most likely that this is a serious disease or its complications.

Black stool in babies is not necessarily a sign of illness, but you should talk to your doctor if the problem persists. The color usually returns to normal after a few days, but if it doesn't, it's time to see a doctor.

The doctor will confirm whether there is indeed blood in the stool. The specialist will also examine the outside of the anus to determine the true cause of the bleeding. Sometimes a rectal examination is performed to confirm the diagnosis.

Your doctor may recommend further testing if you are unsure about the cause of the bleeding. A colonoscopy will be ordered to examine the interior of the lower intestine.

Other facts about baby chairs that parents should know

Black stool in babies is a concern for parents, but from time to time you may notice other changes in the consistency and color of the stool.

Red chair

This is usually blood, so it makes sense to talk to your doctor, especially when this change persists. The baby may have a small crack on the inside of the anus when hard stool passes through, sometimes causing bleeding. If this is the case, your doctor will recommend drinking more fluids, prunes, and fiber to soften your stool.

Red stools may be the result of taking antibiotics that combine with iron.

Certain foods and drinks, such as red juice, can cause stool to appear colored.

Green chair

Green stool is usually the result of stool moving too quickly through a baby's intestines. This is not a cause for concern, especially in infants. But the child must gain weight well.

Green stool can also be the result of eating a lot of fiber foods (broccoli or other green vegetables). In some cases, the green color is due to the use of dyes in the food or drinks that the child consumes.

Common causes of stool color change

Changing the color of poop is not always associated with health problems. For example, if a child ate beets, tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, or anything containing food coloring, it should not be surprising if the stool takes on a distinctive color within 18 to 36 hours. Another reason why a child has black stool is the use of medications, in particular antibiotics.

However, a number of factors may indicate internal problems. Pathologies that are identified based on the study of stool include:

• diarrhea, it is determined by the presence of watery discharge;
• constipation;
• haemorrhoids;
• anal fissures;
• intestinal ischemia;
• watering in the area of ​​the colon;
• gastritis;
• inflammatory processes in the intestines;
• cirrhosis of the liver;
• celiac disease.

If the stool has turned black, the reason may be the inclusion of blueberries or licorice in the child's diet. The same effect can be observed after taking aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and some painkillers. Dark stool color may also be due to the use of iron supplements.

Pathological problems that cause black feces in a baby include lead poisoning, bleeding varicose veins, and inflammation of the esophagus or stomach. They are identified by accompanying symptoms.

What tests should the doctor prescribe?

If the color of the stool gives the doctor reason to suspect the presence of internal bleeding, he will need a number of special methods to clarify the diagnosis. First of all, he will take advantage of the opportunities provided by a visual inspection of the anus.

It is also important for a specialist to identify additional symptoms accompanying the disease. The doctor will definitely pay attention if the black color of the stool is accompanied by abdominal pain, cramps, increased gas production, diarrhea, vomiting with blood, or infection. The stool itself acquires a specific smell. Changes in the baby's general well-being will be associated with poor appetite, sudden weight loss, and fever.

If the cause of black stool is gastrointestinal disease

Medical practice shows the rarity of cases of extensive internal bleeding in children. But if the diagnosis reveals such a fact, urgent surgical intervention is prescribed.

If the cause of the discoloration of stool is a chronic disease, prescribing medications will be sufficient. They are divided into 3 groups:

1. The first is represented by intestinal antibiotics.
2. The second includes drugs whose action is aimed at reducing the acidity of gastric juice.
3. The third category of medications refers to anti-inflammatory drugs. This will allow you to establish metabolic processes in the digestive tract, which will lead to the restoration of well-being.

The appearance of black-green stool in a child

Black feces in newborns in the first few days when the baby is born is considered a completely natural process. This is due to the fact that during this period meconium leaves the body, which is waste substances received by the baby while still in the mother’s womb. Also, doctors do not rule out the ingestion of blood during childbirth. If the stool is viscous and sticky to the touch, and it does not emit an odor, then the process does not require medical intervention. Usually this syndrome goes away after a few days.

In this case, the appearance of black-green stool in a child may indicate dysbacteriosis. The reason for this may be rotavirus or the consequences of antibiotic treatment. In this case, you need to contact your pediatrician to prescribe the optimal treatment.

Main types of diarrhea

Depending on the nature of the bowel movements, diarrhea is often of the following types:

• watery,
• bloody,
• bold

By form it can be divided into:

• acute diarrhea , which corresponds to infectious diarrhea,
• chronic - corresponds to non-infectious diarrhea.

Diarrhea with watery stools with mucus . Such watery diarrhea is typical for children with an acute form of the disease. It is observed mainly in intestinal infections. In such cases, stool consists mainly of water and salts, which are secreted by the intestinal mucosa, damaged by toxins or viruses. Watery stools are associated with damage to the small intestine. Watery diarrhea caused by bacteria is more common in the hot season - late spring and summer, and in winter, watery diarrhea of ​​a viral nature predominates. Watery diarrhea causes severe dehydration, especially in infants.

Watery stools of a non-infectious nature are also possible: with overeating, intolerance to cow's milk, impaired absorption of carbohydrates (lactase deficiency), with enterocolitis, gastroenteritis.

The general condition of the child (body temperature, blood pressure, blood composition) changes slightly, since damage to the intestinal tissues with this type of diarrhea is usually insignificant.

Bloody diarrhea is scantier, but more frequent than watery diarrhea and bowel movements with bloody diarrhea are painful, often with false urges (feces are not released when attempting to defecate). Bloody stools occur, mainly when the large intestine is affected. The causes of such diarrhea are the causative agents of dysentery, some types of E. coli. In a child with dysentery, mucus is secreted in the form of greenish lumps, sometimes with reddish streaks, and in case of salmonellosis and coli infection - in the form of green or orange flakes.

Black feces in infants and preschoolers

During the lactation period, the color of a child's stool depends on two factors. The first is nutrition. The second depends on the state of the microflora. For the first six months, the baby's diet consists entirely of mother's milk. And his health depends entirely on the quality of his mother's milk. If during breastfeeding a woman eats food or takes dietary supplements with food coloring, all this ends up in the milk. And it will inevitably affect the color of the child’s stool.

Upon reaching the age of 6 months, breastfeeding begins to be supplemented with formulas. And if the new menu begins to include foods containing iron, the body does not immediately get used to it and absorb them well. A sign of this will be black poop. This effect can be achieved by consuming the following products per day:

• bananas;
• apples;
• blackberries;
• blueberries;
• cherries;
• cherries;
• lactose-free yogurt;
• black currant;
• red beets;
• red grapes;
• prunes

All these fruits and berries will cause a reaction in the child’s gastrointestinal tract, not only when eaten fresh. A similar effect is observed if these components are included in juices or compotes. The same list can include dishes with liver and other offal.

If, in addition to changes in stool, the new diet does not bring other inconveniences to the child, you do not need to make significant changes. Over time, the body learns to absorb iron, and the situation stabilizes.

Causes of black diarrhea in a child

Black, loose stools in a child can be caused by the following reasons:

• consumption of coloring foods;
• taking certain medications;
• intestinal infections;
• bleeding from the digestive organs.

In addition, the baby's first stool after birth is also dark in color.

Let us consider in detail the appearance of dark feces in a child in each individual case.

Meconium

This is the name of the first feces of a newborn baby. The intestines excrete original feces for 48 hours. The color of stool varies from marsh-dark to black with a green tint. The resinous substance sticks to diapers and is difficult to wash off.

The mass contains desquamated intestinal epithelial cells, stomach and gall bladder juice. Meconium contains amniotic fluid swallowed during the prenatal period.

Taking medications

For some diseases, children receive medications prescribed by a doctor:

• vitamins containing iron – Multitabs Baby;
• Activated carbon;
• preparations containing iron - Ferrum-Lek syrup, Sorbifer;
• painkillers non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) - Nurofen, Ibuprofen, etc.

After using charcoal and Sorbifer, black poop appears in the child the next day. This is a completely natural phenomenon. It's a completely different matter when the stool becomes dark after taking NSAIDs. Drugs in this group cause irritation of the stomach walls to such an extent that they can cause bleeding. Blood cells mixed with food cause black, loose stools in children and adults.

A child in this condition needs urgent examination.

Coloring foods

In 1-year-old infants and older children, the stool becomes dark after consuming dark-colored juices and vegetables. Red beets, raw or cooked, turn stool red to black. You shouldn’t think about it if you don’t have abdominal pain. Other foods that cause black diarrhea in a child include:

• pomegranate juice;
• blueberries, currants;
• blood sausage and fresh blood dishes;
• prunes, chokeberry;
• dark grapes.

The black color of feces disappears after removing the product from the menu.

Intestinal infections

In addition to foods, dark, loose stools in a child can be caused by intestinal infections:

• salmonellosis;
• typhoid fever:
• Escherichiosis;
• rotavirus infection.

Diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms occur with fever, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Feces contain mucus and blood.

Escherichiosis

An acute infectious disease caused by various pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli. When infected with a hemorrhagic species of E. coli, a child develops cramping pain in the lower abdomen and vomiting against a background of low-grade fever. Bloody feces 4-5 times a day. A week later, hemolytic anemia develops with signs of intoxication. Acute renal failure soon follows.

Escherichiosis in a child, if left untreated, is complicated by brain damage with paresis and seizures. Mortality rate is 3–7% in young children.

Salmonellosis

The infection often occurs in infants in the summer. Salmonella pathogens are transmitted through eggs, chicken, quail, and turkey meat.

When infected, children experience vomiting and diarrhea with clots of mucus and blood within 3–4 hours. The temperature rises to 40 ° C. Intestinal colic causes abdominal pain. Greenish stools have a foul odor.

Salmonellosis occurs with severe intoxication. Dehydration occurs quickly. A child with signs of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea should be taken to the infectious diseases department as quickly as possible.

Typhoid fever

This dangerous disease is caused by bacteria from the genus Salmonella. Infection occurs through fly-infected food, as well as household items used by a sick person. Bacteria from the intestines are carried with the blood throughout the body, causing intoxication.

Characterized by a violent onset in the form of enteritis. Repeated vomiting and loose, profuse green stools appear 10–15 times a day. A rash sometimes occurs on the front surface of the abdomen. The liver and spleen enlarge. A complication of typhoid fever is ulceration of the intestinal wall. Dark brown diarrhea in a child occurs in case of ulcer bleeding.

Rotavirus infection

The source of the disease - rotavirus - is transmitted through dirty hands, household items, and food. The infection occurs in the form of gastroenteritis. Signs of rotavirus infection are frequent vomiting, nausea, screaming and crying of a child without tears. Pain with rumbling is felt throughout the abdomen.

Dietary recommendations

Since most often changes in the color of stool in children are more associated with foods rather than internal diseases, it is important to pay great attention to nutritional issues. So, during the lactation period, a woman should organize her diet. Do not overuse herbs and foods with dyes.

In order for the baby to avoid nutritional deficiencies while living on breast milk, it is necessary to monitor one more factor. According to research, first of all, the child drinks the part of the milk less saturated with useful substances, which is located in the near part of the breast. Therefore, if the feeling of fullness comes before he has reached the thickest and most nutritious part of mother's milk, which is located further, he will not receive the required amount of vitamins.

Important: If this is detected, it is necessary to increase the breaks between feedings. Or otherwise regulate the child’s appetites.

After switching to artificial nutrition, it is worth adjusting the amount of iron-containing foods so that the body gradually gets used to assimilation of the new element. This applies to vitamin complexes, dietary supplements and preparations containing iron.

You need to be careful if you have to give your baby antibiotics. You should not prescribe self-medication without consulting your doctor. And during the treatment process, it is necessary to monitor changes in stool in order to prevent dysbacteriosis in time.

Causes of diarrhea

To choose the right treatment tactics, it is very important to try to establish the cause of diarrhea, such causes may be:

• Poor nutrition. Diarrhea in infants is often caused by too frequent feeding. From excessive amounts of food (overfeeding), a child may experience vomiting and diarrhea. Large quantities of difficult-to-digest foods (foods rich in fat or too much rough plant foods rich in fiber) are not completely digested, causing increased intestinal motility and increased bacterial growth.
• Incorrect introduction of complementary foods or lack of digestive enzymes when transferring a child to artificial or mixed nutrition. Premature introduction of complementary foods or too rapid a transition to a new, unusual food can cause digestive disorders in the form of regurgitation and diarrhea, since the baby’s digestive system is not ready to release enough enzymes necessary to process the new product. The gradual introduction of complementary foods and only recommended foods must be observed.
• Poor quality food . Improper and long-term storage of products contributes to the development of various microorganisms in them, causing digestive upset in children.
• Dysbacteriosis is a disorder of the intestinal microflora. In which there are very few “useful” bacteria that process undigested food debris, and pathogenic microbes settle in the intestines, which can cause disorder.
• Intestinal infections . Microbes such as E. coli or dysentery coli are common causes of diarrhea in children. The incubation period of infectious intestinal diseases lasts from several hours to several days, for example, salmonellosis - 2-3 days, dysentery - 3-7 days, coli infections - 10-12 days.
• Other diseases , including diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (gastritis, colitis, pancreatitis, hepatitis, enteritis). It often accompanies pneumonia, inflammation of the ears, acute appendicitis, diseases of the liver and many other organs. And also in case of overheating in the sun or poisoning. Inflammation of the intestines can also be caused by worms (helminthic diarrhea).