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Hi, My Son Is Almost Six Months. When He Was
Question: Hi, my son is almost six months. When he was younger he had a bit of colic (cried a lot when he pooed and had gas) and his poos were mustard yellow or green sometimes. For the past month or so, his poos have always been green. sometimes with dark green bits in them and sometimes not. Also has had mucus in them which I assumed was from his drooling. But he hasn't had pain with passing stools/has since he was 4.5 months. His poos have always been runny. He is breastfed. He used to have one top up of formula per day when he was 2-3 months due to weight gain issues but since then has been only on breastmilk. His weight is in 17th percentile and he's reaching all milestones and seems happy. Never had fever or been ill. He started getting what I think is eczema about a month ago but doing ok on emollients. He has had runny nose since birth. I used to take levothyroxine but stopped about two months ago and not taking any medicine now except for multivitamin and a small dose of iron and vitamin d. He only takes vitamin d drops. He just started having baby rice cereal last week. haven't had any other foods yet. First photo shows a tiny speck of blood with the poo. Is cow's milk allergy or infection a concern?
Brief Answer:
Kindly give a few more details
Detailed Answer:
Hi dear,
I have gone through your query in detail, including pictures
I can understand your concern...
From what you said, he seems to be having loose, green, gritty stools with some mucus and blood with no fever or abdominal discomfort, and he seems happy and feeding well.
All these things can be taken as normal, except for the presence of blood and much mucus in stools. Kindly give a few more details:
1. When did you start noticing blood staining(and how many times) and mucus in stools?
2. Any vomiting?
3. Do you give him plain water?
4. Do you use cow milk for preparing baby rice cereal?
3. Anyone else in the family having any illness like diarrhea or fever now?
4. Any history of milk allergy or atopic diseases like asthma in siblings/parents/close relatives?
Kindly get back with details, so that I can guide you better.
Regards,
Dr Aslam
Kindly give a few more details
Detailed Answer:
Hi dear,
I have gone through your query in detail, including pictures
I can understand your concern...
From what you said, he seems to be having loose, green, gritty stools with some mucus and blood with no fever or abdominal discomfort, and he seems happy and feeding well.
All these things can be taken as normal, except for the presence of blood and much mucus in stools. Kindly give a few more details:
1. When did you start noticing blood staining(and how many times) and mucus in stools?
2. Any vomiting?
3. Do you give him plain water?
4. Do you use cow milk for preparing baby rice cereal?
3. Anyone else in the family having any illness like diarrhea or fever now?
4. Any history of milk allergy or atopic diseases like asthma in siblings/parents/close relatives?
Kindly get back with details, so that I can guide you better.
Regards,
Dr Aslam
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
1. only noticed blood today and that diaper only. but it's such a small amount it's very hard to see. mucus for a month or two now.
2. Not vomiting. she used to when younger but not for the past couple months. sometimes when burping a but might come up but he swallows it.
3. no plain water on its own.
4. Using plain booked cooled water to prepare cereal
5. No
6. father had childhood eczema and asthma. I don't think I had allergy, I had recurrent paratyphoid infections and had diarrhoea from 6 months till 2 yrs. unsure if there was any allergy involved but I remember that I didn't have cow's milk when I was a baby for some reason.
Also, he does poo almost after every feed, it's about 5-6 times per day. it's always been this way since he was born
2. Not vomiting. she used to when younger but not for the past couple months. sometimes when burping a but might come up but he swallows it.
3. no plain water on its own.
4. Using plain booked cooled water to prepare cereal
5. No
6. father had childhood eczema and asthma. I don't think I had allergy, I had recurrent paratyphoid infections and had diarrhoea from 6 months till 2 yrs. unsure if there was any allergy involved but I remember that I didn't have cow's milk when I was a baby for some reason.
Also, he does poo almost after every feed, it's about 5-6 times per day. it's always been this way since he was born
Brief Answer:
No need to worry now
Detailed Answer:
Hi dear,
Thanks for the detailed information given.
Loose stools with mucus and blood can be from bowel infection(enteritis) or cow milk protein allergy. But here, as of now, we need not consider neither. I will explain why:
Enteritis will be usually associated with systemic symptoms like fever, some vomiting, abdominal pain(fussiness/pain while passing stools) and baby may appear a bit dull and refuse to feed. Also, we expect some increase in bowel frequency from the baseline. Here no such symptoms, blood staining is quite minor and single episode only.
Cow milk protein allergy is a possibility given the previous history of eczema in baby and atopy in father. But, since he has not received any dairy products for last 3 months, chance is very less. Although cow milk proteins secreted in breast milk can cause symptoms of milk allergy in baby, this is a very rare incidence. Still mother can try eliminating dairy from her diet to see for any improvement.
In short, with present symptoms, we need not consider this as a disease, and need not intervene. If the symptoms progress(blood staining increases, develops fever or he becomes dull/refuse to feed), we can evaluate further.
Giving a course of probiotics might help to improve the consistency. You can give Enterogermina probiotic suspension, 5ml vial, once daily for 5 days(This is an XXXXXXX brand; Your location is not mentioned here)
Hope I have answered your query
If you do not have further queries, you can close the thread and kindly rate the answer. Wish you good health
No need to worry now
Detailed Answer:
Hi dear,
Thanks for the detailed information given.
Loose stools with mucus and blood can be from bowel infection(enteritis) or cow milk protein allergy. But here, as of now, we need not consider neither. I will explain why:
Enteritis will be usually associated with systemic symptoms like fever, some vomiting, abdominal pain(fussiness/pain while passing stools) and baby may appear a bit dull and refuse to feed. Also, we expect some increase in bowel frequency from the baseline. Here no such symptoms, blood staining is quite minor and single episode only.
Cow milk protein allergy is a possibility given the previous history of eczema in baby and atopy in father. But, since he has not received any dairy products for last 3 months, chance is very less. Although cow milk proteins secreted in breast milk can cause symptoms of milk allergy in baby, this is a very rare incidence. Still mother can try eliminating dairy from her diet to see for any improvement.
In short, with present symptoms, we need not consider this as a disease, and need not intervene. If the symptoms progress(blood staining increases, develops fever or he becomes dull/refuse to feed), we can evaluate further.
Giving a course of probiotics might help to improve the consistency. You can give Enterogermina probiotic suspension, 5ml vial, once daily for 5 days(This is an XXXXXXX brand; Your location is not mentioned here)
Hope I have answered your query
If you do not have further queries, you can close the thread and kindly rate the answer. Wish you good health
Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Answered by
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