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Infant Having Greenish Yellow Stool. Stool Test Found WBC In Stools. What Could Be The Reason?

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Posted on Mon, 27 Aug 2012
Question: presence of wbc in stools for infant, stools are greenish yellow. what is the reason
the stool report indicate presence of white blood cells in the stool. the baby was taken to doctor for identifying the reason for greenish poop. the stool test was taken. the baby is gaining weight and chubby. pl advise email id : YYYY@YYYY
doctor
Answered by Dr. Taher Y Kagalwala (51 minutes later)
Dear XXXXXX,

White blood cells are normal constituents of the body and can be shed even by a normal child or baby in the stools. Their significance is when they are present in large numbers (more than 10 per high power field or 10/hpf) or when the child has large, watery, sticky, bloody or smelly stools and is actually sick.

I would not worry if the problem is merely the slight greenish tinge in the stool and the baby is gaining weight adequately. It might help if you let me know the age of the baby, more details of his stooling pattern, and, if possible, enclose the stool report so that I can give you more specific help.

Thank you for the question. Do revert to me if you need more guidance.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Taher Y Kagalwala (13 hours later)
Dear Doctor
Tks for quick response. Regarding your query, I give further additional information as follows :

Age of baby : 4 months (Boy)
Medical Report details (Test Carried out at Raffles Diagnostica, Singapore)
Test Result
Color Yellowish
Form Loose
Ova Nil
Cyst Nil
Amoeba Nil
Others WBC (1+)
Culture : No Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter or Vibrio isolated.
Note : I have no infrastructure to scan the report and send it. Hence typed the details as appeared in the report. While the baby was in India, for the same reason, the baby was administered 5 drops of biogaia daily for 10 days. There was effect. But after stopping the medicine, greenish poop continued. Mother was advised to stop taking milk in any form. Even then after stopping the medicine, the greenish poop continued.
Kindly advise.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Taher Y Kagalwala (2 hours later)
Dear XXXXXX,

I am convinced that your son is normal. The presence of 1+ WBCs is normal and of no import. As he is feeding well and has a good weight gain (to get an approximate idea of the weight expected at any age in the first year of life, use this formula -

Expected weight (kg) = (Age in months + 7) /2

Thus, if he is about 5.5 kg, you should stop worrying.

The greenish colour may be indicative of a strong colic reflex which may be causing slight hurry of the waste products down the colon. I am assuming that the stools are not smelly or what we doctors call malodorous.

I am unable to understand why his mother was asked to stop milk. There is no rationale at all.

- Dr. Taher
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. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Taher Y Kagalwala

Pediatrician

Practicing since :1982

Answered : 710 Questions

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Infant Having Greenish Yellow Stool. Stool Test Found WBC In Stools. What Could Be The Reason?

Dear XXXXXX,

White blood cells are normal constituents of the body and can be shed even by a normal child or baby in the stools. Their significance is when they are present in large numbers (more than 10 per high power field or 10/hpf) or when the child has large, watery, sticky, bloody or smelly stools and is actually sick.

I would not worry if the problem is merely the slight greenish tinge in the stool and the baby is gaining weight adequately. It might help if you let me know the age of the baby, more details of his stooling pattern, and, if possible, enclose the stool report so that I can give you more specific help.

Thank you for the question. Do revert to me if you need more guidance.